Danganronpa Another Episode: Another Hope
by PotatoSorcerer
Summary: (Sequel to Danganronpa: Another Hope) After surviving the killing game of Hope's Peak Academy, Albert finds himself lost in the concrete jungle of Towa City. Attacked left and right by the Monokumas controlled by the Warriors of Hope, will he be able to escort Komaru Naegi through the city and escape with his life? Or will his personal Despair drag them to the depths of hell?
1. Prologue

**Ah-ha! You were expecting me to write a story about the killing game of Jabberwock Island, but I was actually writing a story about Ultra Despair Girls! I fooled you all! Early April Fools! And no, I'm not petty!**

**Ahem, what was I talking about? Oh, right, a sequel to my previous story. Yeah, so, there are a few things worth getting out of the way before we get to the main event.**

**Firstly, this is a sequel to Danganronpa: Another Hope, my previous Danganronpa fancfic. If you start with this one, you will likely end up confused not only as to who the hell Albert Wright is, but certain events he makes mention to. Also, you will be spoiled as to who lives and dies in that story. So, you know, read ahead at you own risk, and all that.**

**Secondly, yes, I'm working on the Jabberwock Island killing game, but this story is supposed to act as a sort of... build-up. The events of this story will be important to the next one, so if you're planning on reading that far into the future, don't skip this story. It's not going to break new grounds, but the fact that Albert doesn't know what's going on will at least make this scenario interesting.**

**Thirdly, seeing how Despair Girls is a spin-off, this story is going to end up in a different genre. As such, it's going to move a lot faster than Another Hope was. What I mean by this is, this chapter alone probably has more page breaks than any single chapter in Another Hope. I really... can't think of a way to help this. Despair Girls, as an action-adventure game, leaves very long stretches between story moments. In the first game, I could just fill these moments with Albert interacting with those around him. Here, though... it's just him and Komaru. They'll be talking enough as-is. So, during any portion I can't think to fill with anything, I'll be leaving a lot of page breaks. Please, bear with it.**

**Fourthly, if there's anything you feel I could do to improve my writing for the future, in any way, feel free to let me know. After all, this is only my second story, and even though Another Hope went pretty well, I've mentioned above that this story is a very different animal.**

**Finally, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Prologue**

**A Match Made in Hell**

My van cruised down the road toward the eerie Towa City, accentuated only by the dark sky back-dropping it, stained red by pollution. I pushed my new pair of glasses onto my face to grant me clarity. I had been driving for a few hours now, and I was growing sore. I also had to use the bathroom really bad.

My name is Albert Wright, and I'm... well, it's a long story, but I'm a member of Future Foundation, 14th Division. I'm also pretty well-versed in physics and psychology, though I never technically graduated high school. I also have approximate knowledge of future events. No, I'm not a clairvoyant. It's simple, really. I used to live in an alternate universe where the events of this universe exist as a video game, and I played two games in that series, and absorbed some of the base knowledge of the rest of the series through... cultural osmosis. And spoilers. Then my friend, the Ultimate Physicist, pulled me into this world to help people. And now, I've become one of the Future Foundation's most valuable assets, using my knowledge to change the world for the better. Like I said, super simple.

Usually, I'm not a field agent. I, along with Chihiro, are both supposed to fill a more "support" role. Hang back at base, and offer the actual agents tactical advice for their current missions. So, why did I steal a Future Foundation van, without informing my branch head, and start booking it to Towa City? Well, there's a very funny story behind that, too.

I knew that Komaru Naegi, along with some other people, were being held captive in a city somewhere, but that's all I knew from the game's synopsis. Since I never played Ultra Despair Girls, I had no way of knowing which city she was held, let alone where in the city. But, that changed a few days ago. We got a tip from an anonymous source that pointed us to a specific apartment building in Towa City. Byakuya was sent with a bunch of other agents to rescue Komaru. Except, we eventually received word that Byakuya had been captured, and those sent with him were killed. About a day after that report, I personally received another anonymous tip, presumably from the same person, that Komaru Naegi would be found on the rooftop of Towa hospital tomorrow. Under normal circumstances, I would ignore such a cryptic hint, but my circumstances are anything but normal.

From what I knew, that was when Toko was supposed to come in and save the day. Except for the fact that, uh... Toko's... not available right now, and that's my fault. So, to make sure none of my other friends put themselves in life-threatening danger, and to atone for my serious mistake that lead to Toko's death in the first place, I've decided to go in myself. Even if I never played this game, I should still be able to use my gamer-instincts to make it through relatively unharmed. If that doesn't work, I have a van full of Future Foundation equipment.

I glanced at the hacking gun that sat in the seat next to me. The R&D department combined their efforts with Chihiro to create a device that could transmit programming codes in the form of electromagnetic waves. Basically, you can reprogram a machine to kill itself, or short-circuit, or give you remote control over it. Really, anything you need, wirelessly. However, since this is technically hacking the machine, a strong enough anti-virus software could render the gun ineffective. Still, it'd have to be something powerful to block out a virus made by _the_ Chihiro Fujisaki.

And that wasn't the only artillery I was packing. At the end of my previous adventure, my friend, the Ultimate Physicist, left me with some of his research, and I approached the R&D department with my own idea for a weapon. My initial idea was something akin to the high-frequency blade from Metal Gear: Revengeance, but they decided a katana would be a bit too unwieldy for someone who didn't have proper sword training (in other words, nearly everyone in the Future Foundation), so they opted to make it a police-baton, instead. So, basically, I have a club that can vibrate at high enough frequencies to smash through machinery better. It gets a bit hot after a while, though, and it has limited electricity. Thankfully, it recharges with solar power. In fact, solar power has become a lot more appealing and wide-spread since the world became so fucking polluted. Environmentalism, yo.

I took a breath as I stared at the road ahead. I was now on the main bridge connecting Towa City to the mainland. The police scanner in the van suddenly stopped working, so I was now going in dark. That's odd. Byakuya was able to communicate with us just fine when his squad entered the city. Maybe with the ensuing chaos, a radio tower was knocked over or something. With nothing else to listen to, I switched on the radio. The only CD I could find with me was Monochrome Answer by Sayaka Maizono. It was a pretty good song. The world had lost a truly brilliant person.

I allowed my mind to wander. Long ago, there was a time where day-dreaming filled most of my life. It was something I didn't get to do anymore, though. Ever since I came to this world, my thoughts have always been focused on "how do we survive this?" and "what happens next?" However, even now, when I try to allow myself some relaxation, I can't help but be overwhelmed by the task ahead of me. I'm driving at top speed into enemy territory, completely blind. And I don't even have a driver's license. Anyway, I don't know what's going to happen, but I know it's gonna be dangerous. Still, I have to do this. Not just to save Byakuya, but all those innocent people trapped in the city right now.

As I neared the end of the bridge, I thought I saw something in the distance. I adjusted my glasses as I peered forward. On some buildings near the river, I saw some figures... small figures. They were probably the size of children, and they wore giant helmets designed to look like Monokuma heads. They seemed to be... dancing?

The next thing I knew, there was a deafening boom, and I was flying through the air.

* * *

When the feeling of weightlessness finally left, I was laying sideways on top of the driver-side door. The entire van was flipped on it's side. I grabbed the hacking gun, and my high-frequency baton, before unbuckling myself and trying to climb out of the vehicle. When I did make it out, I was standing in the middle of the street. Large storage crates and rubble blocked some of the roads, boxing me in. About five Monokumas started crawling out of nowhere, surrounding me.

I aimed the hacking gun, and started firing. I took out two before they could reach me. A third one jumped at me, swiping it's claws. I instinctively swung my baton, hitting it directly in it's red eye, caving it's head in. It was really satisfying. "Heh, you know what? I've been wanting to do that for a long time." I turned to the two remaining ones. "You don't have any school regulations protecting you this time."

They jumped at me. I dived out of the way of their swipes. A few more shots from the hacking gun put one of them down. The other slashed my hand, knocking the gun from my grasp. I swung the baton again, taking out the last of the threat. With a breath, I walked over to where my gun clattered away and picked it back up. It had minimal damage.

I examined the rest of the area. The bridge I was just on was blown to pieces. Somehow, my van managed to land on solid ground. Maybe Makoto's luck rubbed off on me. Any other weapons or equipment that were in the van lay scattered around the street, having spilled out the back after that explosion. I started inspecting some to see if they were in working order, but another sight caught my eye.

Those kids from before stood on the storage crates around me. From the way they were dressed, they had to be kids. I mean, the reports told me as much, but I was kind of hoping this would just end up being a midget uprising. More Monokumas followed their commands, jumping over the crates toward me. There were about a dozen this time. I decided, in a war of attrition, I'd probably tire out long before the Monokumas. Besides, if I was lucky, I wouldn't need any of these weapons. Even if I ended up going up against a human opponent, my baton could, hopefully, suffice at keeping me alive.

I scooped up a small first-aid kit, tucked it into my lab coat, and sprinted away. I shot an opening for myself, and put what little parkour skills I had to the test as I booked it down the street toward my destination.

* * *

By the time I reached Towa hospital, I was breathing heavily. My lungs were on fire. It took all my strength to not collapse on the road. I'm so glad I started working out, but by god, I need to do more cardio. Looking around, it seemed as though I lost my pursuers. There weren't any Monokumas around. Good. I checked my watch. Of course, the fucking thing was broken. It must've happened because of that explosion. If that was the case, it was probably only twenty minutes behind, though. Which means... in another five minutes, I'll be late. With nothing better to do, I ran inside and started sprinting up the stairs.

When I pushed through the door out onto the rooftop, I took in my surroundings. The roof had a chain-link fence around it, so you couldn't jump off. There were a series of air-conditioning units that would make for perfect cover in a pinch. The important part, though, was a pair of Monokumas approaching a black-and-white parachute, with a small quivering lump under it. I dashed over.

Before one of them could slash, I parried their claw with my baton, and shot it point-blank. The other one swiped at me, but I managed to avoid it, just barely. It ended up hitting my hacking gun, though. I shot it, anyway. Both Monokumas fell limp, and let out small explosions. I covered my face to avoid the shrapnel.

I turned. Under the parachute, a girl in a high-school uniform sat. She stared up at me, confused and scared. I sheathed my baton and offered my hand. "Komaru Naegi, I presume?"

Before we could get introductions out of the way, however, I noticed more Monokuma's climbing the outside of the hospital. The girl jumped up. "Oh no, there's more of them..."

I grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her behind one of the air-conditioners, where we wouldn't be spotted. I peeked around the corner, and it seemed none of them saw us. I guess mass-produced Monokumas were dumber than the original. I glanced at the girl. "So, uh, you didn't answer my question. Are you Komaru Naegi?"

"Huh?" She turned to me. "Oh, u-um, that's right. I'm Komaru Naegi. How did you know that?"

I smirked. "I know a lot of stuff I'm not supposed to." I reached for a handshake. "Albert Wright. Future Foundation 14th division."

"If you're part of Future Foundation, that means you're here to rescue me, right?" She gave me a pleading look.

I nodded. "That's right. Though, I'm gonna need you to help me help you." I nodded to the hacking gun she had strapped to her skirt. "Since you made it this far, I'm assuming you know how to use that thing?"

"Um, kinda..."

"Good." I readied my own gun. "Keep me covered."

* * *

I sheathed my baton and gun, and took a deep breath. "Okay, I think we're in the clear now."

Komaru looked around once more, before strapping the gun to her skirt once again. "Um, you said your name was... Albert?"

"Not a name you hear everyday around here, huh?" I scratched my head. "I just happened to be in Japan when all this shit went down. I'm assuming that gun came from Byakuya?"

"Yeah. I-I was saved by him earlier... H-He gave this gun to me." She explained.

Now that the danger was over with, I regarded the girl. Her brother and her did share some resemblance, though the most similar feature they share was the lock of hair at the back of their head that seemed to stick up. Who knows, though, maybe Komaru just had a case of bedhead. The only thing out-of-place about her was a small black and red bracelet on her wrist. I decided not to ask about that right now.

"I'll have to rescue Byakuya, but I can get that done later." I said. "He'd want me to get you to safety, first."

"W-Wait! Hold on! Byakuya was captured!?" She asked.

"Yeah. At least his life was spared, unlike the others from his squad." I wondered if there was a reason they spared him, specifically?

"I-I see... So he was caught after all..." Komaru stared at the ground.

"If you have time to feel bad, you have time to move." I told her. "The quicker I can get you out of here, the quicker I can get to him."

"Y-You're right. We've gotta get out of this building."

I started moving toward the stairs. "Well, I can't have you dying on me. Stay behind me. I might not be good for much, but I think I make a pretty good wall."

"O-Okay..." She followed after me, keeping one hand on her gun. When we descended down the stairs, she looked around the eerie hallway. "Is this... a hospital?"

"Yeah. Not the kinda atmosphere I want when I'm getting my checkup done..." I continued walking to the next staircase, but stopped in front of it. "Huh? This shutter wasn't here when I was climbing up. What's going on?"

"You can't open it?" Komaru asked.

"No, there's no power in this place."

"Then... what should we do?"

I sighed. "We'll have to find a fuse box or something to turn on the power."

Suddenly, Komaru let out a small yelp of horror. I pulled out my weapons. "What, what is it?"

She slowly walked over to the side of the hallway. "H-He's... dead... right?" In front of her was a pair of corpses, both torn apart and covered in their own blood.

I offered a solemn look. "Yeah..." I knelt down and inspected the bodies.

"Wh-What're you doing...?"

"I'm... trying to remember their faces." I admitted. "It's probably not healthy, but... I try to remember the face of every body I see. Every person I failed. You shouldn't look at them any longer than you have to. C'mon, let's get moving."

"Staring at bodies like that... is kinda creepy." She told me.

"I guess it is." I admitted. "It's not like I enjoy it. It's just... No one deserves to be forgotten, is all. Even if it's just their face. Anyway, on a less depressing note, let's find a way to get this power on."

* * *

We entered a room labeled "POWER SUPPLY ROOM," and I decided that was the best place to try. There was a power box like I was looking for, but it was pretty high on the wall. I started looking around for a stepladder before Komaru pointed her hacking gun at the box and fired. It powered on, and the rest of the lights in the building lit up.

"Heh, sometimes I forget I have access to tech like this. It's nice to finally have some lighting." We stepped back out into the hallway. "So, Komaru, how did-"

"Ah! It's here!" She pointed down the hall, where a Monokuma stood.

I rolled my eyes and shot it from a distance. The Monokuma went down easy. But then my gun started making a weird noise. Like TV static.

"Is it... suppose to make that sound?" Komaru asked.

I smacked the side of the gun. "Oh, don't tell me. Is this one of the beta models?"

"Wh-What?"

"The model you have is our most current one." I explained. "It's the most durable, and has the most features. I should've made note of that when I took that van here. After that explosion, and those Monokumas hitting it over and over, it's no wonder it's breaking down on me." I stared down at the gun and compared it with Komaru's. Yeah, no doubt about it. This was just a cheaper test device. I hesitated for a second, but tossed the gun to the ground. The megaphone part snapped off the rest of the gun. I swear, I could've been a contender for the title of Ultimate Unlucky Student.

"Do you want to use this one?" She asked, holding out her weapon to me.

I considered it. "No. If we get separated, you'll need something to defend yourself with. Besides, I'm not that good of a shot, anyway." I said, gesturing to my glasses.

"O-Oh. Okay..."

I pulled out my melee weapon, before continuing on. "Anyway, like I was gonna ask, how did you end up in Towa City?"

"Well..." She started telling me her side of events up until now.

* * *

"And then you showed up and rescued me, and... here we are." Komaru concluded, as we stepped into a doctor's office.

"Just doing my job." I turned to the corner, where a kid wearing another one of those Monokuma helmets stood, next to a big gift-wrapped box.

"I've seen this kid before!" Komaru announced.

"It's probably not the same one. There are a bunch of kids wearing these all over the city." I explained.

"Huh? Really? But why are they... wearing helmets?"

"Who knows? It's not like they're gonna tell us themselves. Although..." I do have a theory, actually.

"Although, what?"

"Never mind." It's too complicated to get into right now. "Either way, we should stay as far away from these creeps as possible."

"But isn't it dangerous?" She asked. "What if they get attacked by Monokumas?"

"You don't get it. These kids are controlling the Monokumas."

"They're what!?" She shrieked.

"Yeah. From what I know, they're targeting adults, specifically. To what end, I'm not sure." In response to my statement, the kid let out a quiet, robotic laugh.

"Anyway, Albert... what's that box next to that kid?"

"If you wanna open it, go ahead." I said.

She took a cautious step forward, and opened the box. Despite its size, the only thing inside was a USB stick. She stuck it into the side of her gun, and the screen on the side displayed the symbol for the BREAK bullets, with a "x40" next to it.

"Ammunition?" I guessed. That would be weird, though. The hacking gun was supposed to have unlimited ammo. In the process of firing, it copy-pasted the code. Did something happen to Komaru's gun during the last 2 days? Either way, the kid who was standing next to the box suddenly dashed out of the room.

"Is that kid... giving this to us?" Komaru asked. "Why help us like this?"

"This is just a game to them." I said. "They'll build us up as high as they can as long as they still think it's possible to break us back down."

"Well, that might be true, but..."

"I have a theory that I'll test another time. Until then, we gotta get out of here. Let's keep moving."

"O-Okay..."

* * *

During our time looking for an escape route, Komaru came across a novel on a doctor's desk. I read the cover over her shoulder. "Billy Milligan Royale."

_"High school senior Sae Sunakosaka has 24 split personalities. After an unexpected turn of events, she obtains 23 new bodies. "But there's no need for 24 Sae Sunakosakas..." The killing of me against me commences..."_

I scoffed. "Unrealistic and disrespectful..."

"Well, I thought it looked pretty good..." Komaru said generously.

"Yeah, I know, don't judge a book by its cover." I said. "But judging from this synopsis alone... I'm willing to bet he doesn't explore any of the actual symptoms of DID. He's just using it as a funny plot-point."

"I'm sure he's not writing about anyone, specifically..." She said. "Do you... know a lot about DID?"

"I've been studying psychology a lot recently." I explained. "And... I had a friend who had it. She's... not around, anymore, though."

"Oh..."

"Yeah." I stared at the ground. "Anyway, people usually develop split-personalities during their childhood or teen years, due to severe abuse, as a sort of coping mechanism. To develop an entire 24, her past must've been crazy, but I seriously doubt the author is good enough, or smart enough, to weave that into the story. She probably had a perfectly normal and relatable, if not somewhat comical backstory."

"Well, it's also impossible to gain an extra 23 bodies, you know?" Komaru pointed out. "It's just a story. It doesn't have to be that realistic."

I looked her dead in the eye. "What if I told you that that mentality has only caused me problems? That fiction can be more realistic than we realize?"

"What...!? What does that mean?"

I brushed it off. "I was just joking around. I didn't mean anything by it. Don't take it so seriously."

"Well sorry!" She said. "We just met, I'm not used to your brand of humor yet!"

* * *

"Whoa! What is this place...?" Komaru exclaimed. We stood in a rather lavishly decorated room. The only thing in the room was a single arcade machine.

I inspected the machine. It read "MONOKU-MAN." "Looks like some shitty knock-off."

Komaru shot it with a MOVE bullet, and the screen lit up, displaying a security feed. I rolled my eyes at her. She was getting a little too trigger-happy with that thing.

I looked between the screen and the next room over. It was hard to tell from two different angles, but I think it was the same thing. I could see which of the Monokumas were moving. "Oh, I get it. It's some stealth game type stuff."

"So... we just have to sneak by the Monokumas?" Komaru asked.

"Take it from me, it's always better to avoid conflict." I said, leading her to the next room.

We crawled around the small crowd of Monokumas, barely avoiding getting caught by them. At the end of the room, we reached the main exit.

We pushed through, and ended up in a city street. I took a breath of fresh air, but the air wasn't that fresh. There were torn roads, rubble and broken vehicles and buildings all along the street we found ourselves on. Komaru looked around. "We're finally out, but... Where are we?"

"You don't know? Haven't you been living here for, like, over a year?"

"I wouldn't call it "living"..." She said. "I was just imprisoned in an apartment the whole time."

"Well, anyway, this is Towa City. It was supposed to be a safe haven, but that's out the window. More importantly, we need to work on getting you out of here."

She nodded. "I'll be killed if I stay in this town, right?"

"Yeah..."

"But you... You want to look for Byakuya, right? I know that's what you want, but... But I'm just so scared... I can't help it, I... I feel so afraid... I feel trapped. No matter what I do, I'll end up getting killed."

"Hey, it's okay." I assured her. "You're priority numero uno. Byakuya's a friend of mine, and I want to make sure he's safe, but he'd chew me out if I didn't get you to safety, first."

"I-It's... okay?"

"Yes, it's okay. As a member of Future Foundation, it's my duty to protect civilians like you. I mean, that's the whole reason I came here."

Without warning she took my hands in her's. "Thank you so much, Albert! Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you! From the bottom of my heart, just... Thank god I met Albert!"

I pulled free from her grasp. "Hey, don't be thanking anything yet. Your life expectancy's still a lot worse than it needs to be. And, uh, everyone just calls me Al."

"But... are you sure about this? What about Byakuya?"

"Like I said, he'd be more mad if I didn't get you out of here." I explained. "Him and me have been through a lot together. I'll figure something out. I always do..."

"Oh, you're right. An amazing guy like you would have a plan for sure. No point in me worrying." She decided.

I stared at her, wondering if she was kidding. It didn't seem like it. I simply said "Flattery will get you nowhere."

"But... I'm glad." She admitted. "Ever since I was imprisoned, I've been all alone. I couldn't depend on anyone else... So I'm really happy you're with me! So, so happy!" She paused, before her eyes widened and a slight blush crossed her face. "Oh, um, but, I didn't mean-!"

"I'm gonna change the topic now, before this becomes sitcom-level awkward." I told her. I was on enough people's shit-list already, I don't need to piss off Makoto due to a misunderstanding. "So, do you know the layout of this city? I just got lucky and found the hospital pretty quickly, but I don't know much else."

"You're right. We have to figure out more about this town, first." Komaru thought for a moment. "That's right, I heard this town is on an island! Which means... Hey, Al! Do you remember seeing a bridge anywhere?"

I nodded. "That was the way I got in, but... just as I reached the city, those kids set off a bunch of explosives, and took out the bridge."

"O-Oh..."

"But... I ended up leaving my van near the bridge." I said. "The area got swarmed by Monokumas, so I decided to ditch it. But now that I'm not there anymore, they probably dispersed. My van had a radio in it. If I could get it functioning again, I could call for backup. If not, there's still a lot of other useful stuff there."

"Well, let's go! We have to at least try!" She insisted. She took a deep breath. "Ah, what a relief! I was starting to lose hope!"

"Hope, huh? Well, good for you. Let's get moving."

* * *

**Okay. So, a new story is underway. Now that _that's_ out of the way, a few more things.**

**Firstly, yeah, I decided to ditch Albert's hacking gun. I thought both protagonists possessing the same weapon would be kinda boring. I introduced the high-frequency baton because I decided that would be a way to connect Al to the whole "physicist" thing, and that having him wield a melee weapon would lead to more tense scenarios in the future. And for those of you who may think that Albert took down those Monokumas much too easily, well... Anyone who has played Despair Girls should be able to venture a guess as to why.**

**Secondly, while I'm not planning on the two finding every collectible in the game, I do plan on them finding the Hit Lists and the Novels, because those both lead to conversations between Toko and Komaru in canon, and Albert will have his own conversation pieces about these items.**

**Thirdly, I don't know if I really have to say this, but I will just to be safe. I'm not going to ship Albert with Komaru. I'm aware people ship Toko with Komaru (which I do not), and Al taking her spot in the story might imply something, so I just wanted to clear that up. In the prologue of Another Hope, I made mention that I didn't want to ship Al with anyone. Maybe one day, if it serves the story and suites the characters, I'll change my mind on that, but I will not be shipping him with Komaru. That's his friend's little sister.**

**Finally, in the next chapter, we'll continue the story, and our two protagonists will attempt to make their way out of the city.**


	2. Chapter 1

**Hey, hopefully you enjoyed the prologue, because now we're getting into the thick of things. At the rate this is going, I'm not sure how long this story will be, but I doubt it'll be nearly as long Another Hope was.**

**Also, you may have noticed I'm now giving the chapters titles. No real reason for it. I just decided it would be a nice little extra detail to have. It doesn't cost too much extra brainpower to think of a title, anyway. I mean, look at the title of this story. It's just the name of the first story, but with "Another Episode" thrown in.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

**Three's a Crowd**

"The Right Not to Kill." I read. "One early morning in August, station staff Tado, who's almost made it to retirement age, is shot through the heart. Around the same time, Shuichi Tadokoro, a train nerd, falls in love. He must solve the mystery of the Tado killing... The 3rd entry in the Hankawagoe Series! Only those with the right not to kill have the will to not be killed." I rolled my eyes and tossed the book to Komaru. "The author's probably some anime nerd or something."

"Hm? What makes you say that?" She asked.

"Because I'm some anime nerd." I answered. "I can just tell, any story with high school girls and guns is just begging for an anime adaptation."

She considered this. "I'm a high school girl, and I have this hacking gun... Is this some anime nerd fantasy?"

"Yes." I said, completely deadpan and serious.

After a brief pause, she continued. "But, seriously... I don't know much about guns. I barely know how to work _this _thing."

"Oh, well, it sends programming codes in the form of radio waves to hack machines wirelessly." I explained.

"Yeah, I don't get that at all but... It sounds really cool!" She said.

"Huh. And I thought I was bad with software..."

"But this doesn't work on _every _machine, right? I wonder why not..."

"It's still a work-in-progress." I explained. "Obviously, it wouldn't work on machines without any computerized parts, but the, uh..." I scratched my head. "Ah, fuck it, I'm not smart enough to explain this. If my friend Chihiro were here, he'd be halfway through an in-depth explanation by now. Next time I see him, I'll ask him for the details."

"Oh... But, I have learned one thing!"

"Oh yeah?"

"This gun works as well on humans as the ray guns do against Crystal Bowie!"

I stared at her in utter confusion for a good few seconds. Then, I shook my head. "What the fuck have I gotten myself into...?"

* * *

We stood in front of a giant, bright-yellow storage crate. It blocked the way forward.

Komaru turned toward me. "Looks like we can climb this if we work together."

I considered our options. "Well, I could probably get you up there. Do you think you could pull me up, though?" I gestured to myself.

"Well, we should at least try. Besides, I'm stronger than I look!"

"I doubt that..." I said, kneeling in front of the crate. A second later, I felt her shoes press against my shoulders.

"D-Don't look up, okay?"

"Yeah, I got it." I stared at the ground as I slowly and steadily rose. When I stood tall enough, she leapt from my shoulders and pulled herself up on the crate. She turned and reached a hand down to me. "Alright, now comes the hard part..." I grabbed her hand with both of mine, and jumped as she yanked me upward. I pressed my feet against the crate itself, to help give Komaru some leverage as we both struggled to gain height.

Eventually, she managed to pull me high enough that I could scramble onto the flat surface. We both collapsed on the cold metal. I was breathing heavily. "Okay. Hopefully, we won't have to do that too many more times."

"Maybe... if we have to do that again... we could trade places?" She suggested in between breaths.

"Something tells me we'd run into a similar problem." I slowly got up, and hopped off the storage crate onto the ground on the other side. Komaru followed me.

Before we could do anything, a small metallic object landed on the ground a few feet away. Komaru and I seemed to realize what it was at the same time, and we both jumped back before the bomb exploded.

When the dust settled, we were faced with a pair of Monokumas, both wearing green bullet-proof vests and helmets, and carrying boxes of hand grenades on their back.

I groaned. "Jeez, these things just keep crawling out of the woodwork. Now there's different versions of him?"

"Should the hacking gun destroy them just like the others?" Komaru asked.

"Yeah, but let's be careful. That bomb didn't seem to have a big blast radius, but don't underestimate them." I switched on my high-frequency baton, and charged forward.

* * *

I glanced up and down the street we found ourselves on. One end was completely blocked with storage crates, and the other was completely torn up, leaving a giant whole in the street.

I shook my head. "God, it's so hard to get around. How could they cause so much destruction in such a short amount of time?"

Komaru looked around. "Based on where we are, the bridge should be on the opposite side of this hotel..." She faced the building in front of us. "What should we do? It looks like we can get through right here."

I sighed. "The route I took to the hospital wasn't this bad. But since we're this far, I guess we should press on. Let's go."

We entered the hotel, which was just as battered on the inside as it was on the outside, and worked together to scale the more torn areas. When we got to the second floor, Komaru stopped in front of a pair of payphones.

"What?" I asked.

"I think I've got an idea!" She said. "Look, if we use this telephone to call the police, won't they come save us?"

"Are you dense?" I asked as politely as possible. "If there are any police left in this city, they're probably doing everything they can already. Besides, I don't think communication like this is possible right now. My police scanner stopped working, and Future Foundation hasn't been able to contact anyone in here for some time. Telephones, internet, nothing."

"Huh!? Nothing works?"

"If they did, we'd have a lot less to worry about right now." I said. "Now come on, we're wasting time."

* * *

"Unstoppable Man." Komaru read from the cover of yet another book. I guess people didn't have time to grab their favourite novels when they were running for their lives. I read the back cover over her shoulder.

_"Triathlon, boxing, rock climbing... Saburo Karin tackles them all nonstop. What is his newest (challenge)? What is the reason (why) he doesn't stop? And what is the single (scene) that will finally make him stop? If you start reading, you won't stop either! Saburo Karin's Autobiography: Unabridged (Masterpiece) Edition!_

"Unstoppable..." Komaru sighed. "There's no way I'll be able to do it. I'm getting pretty tired."

"Yeah." I nodded. "I know I'm pretty exhausted. I don't think I've slept in... sixteen hours? Fifteen? Eh, it doesn't matter, anyway..."

"You're tired? You don't really look like it, Al." She said.

"A little over half a year ago, I found out that I'm pretty good at lying to people." I explained shortly. "But, anyway, c'mon. Where's that youthful energy?"

"My age doesn't effect how tired I am..." She whined. Then she thought for a moment. "Oh, hey... how old are you?"

"I'm 18- No." I shook my head. "I'm 20 years old."

"You... don't even know how old you are?" She asked.

"Look, I've had a very confusing couple of years, so you'll excuse me for missing a couple birthdays."

"Um... okay?"

* * *

"The Bomb Inside Her?" I asked. Komaru had just picked up yet another book, and she seemed pretty excited about it.

"This manga... Oh it's been ages since I read this! I love it!" She proclaimed.

Against my better judgement, I read the synopsis. "I, Yumi Kayakuda (16), am a normal high school girl in every way. At least, I wish that were the case. My womb is filled with bombs," I blinked, reread the statement, and looked up. "Uh, okay, the escalated quickly. "so if I ever fell in love, they'd explode. That's why ever since I was born, I've been pure and innocent, but then... He appeared. Shota Honen, the boy who says he loves me... Keeping my distance, less than lovers, more than friends, pushes me to my limit. "Sorry, but if this goes on, I'm going to fall for you. So do something horrible to me!" Lighting up a fire in your heart!? A risque, thrilling love story." Okay, so, many questions, but... first of all, this just sounds like an allegory for the female orgasm."

"How dare you?" She asked, legitimately offended. "It's a masterpiece! The Bomb Inside Her is like, required reading for high school girls!"

"Well, good thing I was never a high school girl." I said. "And what do you mean, "high school girls"? Did you ever even go to high school?"

"Well age-wise, I should be..."

"You've been imprisoned since middle school?" I asked. "That uniform seems to still fit fine."

"No, this is a high-school uniform." She said. "While I was imprisoned, it was delivered one day along with the food. Until then I had been wearing my middle-school uniform... The culprit probably felt sorry for me."

"Huh. Compared to the criminals I've seen, that's pretty generous."

"But... I'm really glad they gave me one." She admitted. "This is the St. Koa Girls Academy uniform. It's a famous rich-girl school!"

"Koa, huh? Can't say I've heard of it, but then, I _am_ a foreigner."

"Koa Academy has a 300-year history of culture, activities, and sports!" She said proudly. "The club uniforms are also super cute. There are tons of girls who want a chance to wear one! The school cafeteria is buffet-style, and you hear about it on television all the time..." She paused, and stared at the ground. "...Ugh."

"What?"

"I'm feeling... It's just silly of me to fantasize about all those details now, isn't it?"

"Did you... make all that up?" I asked. It sounded pretty obvious, but with the existence of Hope's Peak, such a school didn't sound too far-fetched.

"I wanted a high-school life like that!" She said sadly.

"Well, even if the world hadn't gone to shit, I wouldn't hold my breath."

"Y-You don't have to be so blunt about it!"

* * *

"What is this...?" Komaru asked, handing me a decorated piece of paper. ""Hit List"...? That doesn't sound good."

I read the name, and almost had a heart attack. Takaaki Ishimaru. Ishimaru!? It could be a coincidence, but... they did have some resemblance. First Makoto's sister, and now Taka's... father? Were all of the captives in this one city? If so... I've got a lot of work on my hands...

"Al?" Komaru asked. I had been silent this whole time.

"Oh, it's... Th-This is probably something the kids made. From the looks of things, it's probably something to help them hunt and kill more efficiently."

"B-But that's... Why would they do that!?" She asked.

"That's what I intend to find out. It's right under "rescue Byakuya" in order of priority."

"But does that mean... there's other people who are being hunted by the children?"

"Well, every adult is technically in danger, but, yes, it seems like you're not alone."

"But why would something like this...?"

"They probably just dropped it." I tucked the Hit List away into my lab coat. "I doubt this kind of thing is supposed to be available to the adults."

"If that's the case, we have to hurry and tell this person!" She insisted. "The children know where he is!"

"I understand how you feel, but right now, that's simply not the best move." I said. "Right now, I need to work on getting you to safety. If we run into him, I'll do whatever I can to help, but we need to focus on one thing at a time right now. It's like the whole Byakuya deal. The quicker I can get you outta here, the faster I can help someone else."

"I-Is that really okay...?"

"No, but it doesn't matter right now." I said. "In situations like this, sometimes you have to do what you have to to survive. That's life..."

"I-I see... That's life..." She repeated.

* * *

After another stupid arcade room, a challenge set by a kid, and Komaru making a stupid pun, we finally made our way out of the hospital, and I recognized the area we were in. The bridge was just down the road. Which means...

My van was up the street, still tipped on it's side. We quickly dashed over. I noticed something off right away. All of the weapons I left scattered all over the streets were gone. I assume the kids took them, which isn't an encouraging thought. Hopefully, the police scanner is still intact.

"Hang on. Keep me covered." I told Komaru, as I crawled into the van. Luckily enough, the radio was in good condition. I switched it on, and it made static noises. Okay, that's good. I fiddled with the knobs for a minute, but there was nothing but static on every channel. I removed it, put it in my pocket, and crawled back out. "Good news, it'll turn on. Bad news, it's not picking up anything. I'm not an expert on radios, but if it can't get a signal, I don't think it can send one to anyone, either."

"So, what are we gonna do?" She asked.

"I... If I could get it to higher ground, it might be able to get a signal better." Was that how police radios worked? Fuck, I'm out of my element here...

"Heeey! You two over there!" A voice suddenly rang out from down the road. I instinctively drew my weapon, but it didn't seem to be an enemy. Running toward us was a boy with an athletic build and tan skin. He stopped a few feet from the van. "You guys don't look like you're with those kids... That means... you're on my side, right? Right?"

"Huh? Uh... yeah." Komaru said.

Suddenly, he grabbed her hand, shaking it happily. "I knew it! Yes! Oh, this is fantastic! Man, it's been forever since I've seen a normal person! I'm so happy!"

"Well, looks like you got lucky, then." I said. "Though I'm not sure if I'd necessarily classify anyone here as normal..."

"Ah... I think this handshake is over now..." Komaru said. At the same time, he stopped shaking it, but was still holding her hand.

"Okay, buddy, you're going to go from distressed survivor to weird creeper if that lasts much longer." I decided to warn him.

"No! It's not that... It's just, this wristband..." He said. He looked up at Komaru. "Could it be...? Were you also captured by those kids who call themselves the Warriors of Hope?"

"...Huh?" Komaru asked.

"And then you got thrown out here, and told it was part of some game, right?" He continued. "Well, look! Me too!" He held up his wrist, which had a bracelet identical to the one she was wearing.

"Ah, that wristband!" She yelped.

"Oh, this is great!" The boy said. "Well, not... completely great. I'm already at my wit's end trying to figure out what to do... I guess I was just so relieved to see someone in the same spot I'm in. Still... could be better."

"I sorta understand." Komaru agreed. "I'm also a little glad to know that I'm not alone in this situation."

"Right!? Right!? Oh, that reminds me, I never told you my name! I'm Yuta Asahina!"

"Ah!" I only barely managed to stifle my surprise. That's why this kid looks so familiar. He's Hina's brother. Well, great, now I have two of my friend's relatives to look after. Oh no, my gamer instincts are telling me we're going to find everyone along the way. I can't look after fourteen other people at once. The last time I tried that, nine of them ended up dead.

"I'm Komaru Naegi. Nice to meet you, Yuta."

Yuta started writing on the palm of his hand. "Okay... Komaru... Naegi..."

"...What're you doing?" She asked.

"Oh, this? If you really wanna remember a name, write it down on your palm three times." I almost laughed.

"Oh, I see. I've never heard of that."

"Ah, but seriously, it is so reassuring to finally have a friend to work together with!" He said.

I extended my hand for a handshake. "Likewise. I'm Albert Wright. If that's too complicated, you can just call me Al. And, ah, if you don't mind, could you and Komaru explain to me those wristbands? I was so caught up in all the chaos, I hadn't had a chance to really ask."

"Oh, well, I'm not really sure, myself." He said. "They just put it on me before dumping me into the city."

"For all we know, those could be tracking devices." I knelt down and picked up a jagged chunk of rubble. "Let me see if I can break them."

Komaru jumped slightly. "W-Wait...! I... I think those kids said the wristbands will explode if we mess with them..."

"Oh, yeah! I remember that, too." Yuta confirmed.

I tossed the rock on the ground. "Okay... Plan B is out the window. And Plan C, since my idea for that was to get together a makeshift raft and try to get across the river."

"Huh? Why wouldn't that work?" Yuta asked. "Heck, I was actually planning on swimming across before I found you guys."

"I don't doubt you could do that, except for the fact that you have a bomb strapped to you." I pointed out. "If they designed it to explode when you tamper with it, what's stopping it from exploding if you try to leave the city limits? At best, you'll be left with a bloody stump that'll instantly get infected by all that dirty water. At worst, there'll be nothing left of you."

He paled. "O-Oh... I didn't think of that..."

I scratched my head. "Okay, well, tracking device or not, hiding out somewhere is probably better than standing out in the open like sitting ducks. We'll have to search the city for a tall enough building to get this signal out. Until then... I think it would actually be best if we stayed underground. There should be a subway system in this city, right?"

"Huh? A subway?" Komaru asked.

"Yeah. If I recall, there was a subway that was used to take people from the mainland to the city. The trains shouldn't be operational, but if worse comes to worst, I could leave you guys with some protection while I go to get help. I don't have a wristband, so I'm not bound by the rules of this game. But that'll be Plan D. Plan A is this radio."

"Sounds like a plan." Yuta decided. "So, where's the subway?"

"Yeah, we didn't see it on our way over here." Komaru said.

"I'm not sure." I said, scratching my head. "I guess we'll have to look for it."

* * *

After escaping from a new type of Monokuma, this one with an alarm built into it, we stepped into another arcade room, but this one actually had something new in it. Well, not that new, since we already found a kid with a gift for us before, but never in an arcade room.

"Whoa!" Komaru jumped back. "Another one!"

"Looks like he's got a gift." I pointed out.

"Is it safe?" Yuta asked as Komaru stepped forward. Opening the box, she found another thumb-drive. When she plugged it into her gun, however, it added a new kind of ammo, DANCE. The kid laughed and ran off.

"Those kids are our enemies, right?" Komaru asked. "Why are they helping us?"

"I already explained, it's just a damn game to them." I said.

"So... what does DANCE do?"

"From what Chihiro told me, the idea was to force a machine to remain stationary, while moving any of its appendages in a non-threatening manner. During tests, they noted that it makes it look like the machine is dancing, hence the name. It wastes a negligible amount of fuel for the machine, but the main use is leaving the machine helpless while you wail on it with other codes."

"I see... that's useful."

* * *

"Tornado Sentai Spin Ranger." I read. "Dawn, Container, Salable, Mellow, Food. These 5 friends run a small, unassuming soup shop. However, the chosen warriors cannot stay soup salesmen forever. With the mighty STORM power, they transform into Tornado Sentai Spin Ranger, and battle tirelessly day and night against the evil phantoms. This is the eye of the tornado entertainment! Spin the world with Spin Ranger!" I read that last part with my best movie trailer voice. I coughed. "So, it's basically Power Rangers plus Beyblade."

"Oh, hey, I remember reading that when I was a kid." Yuta mentioned.

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." I handed it to him. "My question is, why do we keep finding books in the middle of the street. The hotel, it made sense, but who dropped their book out here?"

"I'm sure the person who dropped this was just a kid." Komaru said. "All boys have a superhero phase, after all."

"Eh, I was always more of a fantasy kid, myself." I said. "Though, now that you said that, I can't stop thinking of Byakuya reading a comic." It was a funny thought, honestly.

"Hm, don't you think Byakuya is kinda like a superhero, in a way?" She asked.

"No, in fact, I never thought that. What do you mean?"

"Like when he rescued me, his timing was so perfect, just like a hero's."

"Actually..." I started thinking. Dangerous, I know. "Now that you mention it, a lot of strange coincidences happened lately. The Monokumas attacked the same time Future Foundation showed up to save you, for example."

"Byakuya said the reason they came here was because they received an anonymous rescue plea..." Komaru recalled. "Do you think... the children did it?"

"One-hundred percent."

"Then... the children were targeting Future Foundation from the beginning? Why?"

"That's the question, isn't it? I can't imagine why they'd have a grudge against us."

"That sounds like a pretty complicated plan for a bunch of kids." Yuta said. "Whoever's leading them must be smarter than we think. Also, uh, who's Future Foundation?"

I blinked. Right, these kids were imprisoned for a year and a half. Komaru only knows about us because of Byakuya. "It's the organization I work for. Our ultimate goal is to get mankind back to where it was, back before all this bad apocalypse shit went down. Byakuya's one of my fellow members, and he was captured by the kids. And... yeah, I think you're all caught up now."

"Hm... I hope there aren't anymore unpleasant surprises..." Komaru hoped.

* * *

After exploring for a while, we finally found a subway entrance. However, there was just one problem.

"The shutter's... closed?" Komaru noticed. She ran down the stairs, getting a closer look. She turned toward us. "It's locked... We can't get through it like this!"

"Could we break it down?" Yuta asked.

I shook my head. "It'd take too long. Those things are built to be sturdy. Let's look around, I have a hunch the key isn't too far."

"You mean like, over there?" Yuta asked hesitantly, pointing to the body of a station attendant a few feet away.

"Was he killed by those Monokumas too?" Komaru asked when she saw him.

I knelt down. "I'd be surprised if he wasn't." I studied his blank face before removing a key from his hands. I passed it to Komaru.

"Could this key be...?" Before she could finish her thought, a kid ran out from nowhere and tackled her before running away once again.

"The hell...?" I watched the kid run off.

Yuta scoffed. "Doing a hit-and-run... Those kids aren't so tough without their Monokumas."

Komaru seemed to realize something, and started freaking out. "You guys! This is bad!"

"What is it now?" I groaned.

"The key! The kid stole it!"

"Oh, you gotta be fucking kidding me."

"We gotta go after that kid! If we don't have the key, we can't get into the subway!"

"Don't worry!" Yuta assured us. "He might have the lead, but I'll catch him!" With that, he bolted off after the kid, and... holy shit, he was fast.

"Yuta! Don't go running off on your own!" I called after him. Reluctantly, Komaru and I ran after him.

* * *

After a few minutes of solid running, we arrived back at the hospital where we started. Yuta was waiting for us in the lobby.

I was wheezing. "Jesus... Christ... You kids are gonna be... the death of me..."

"Sorry about that." He apologized. "I was lagging a bit so you guys could keep up, but I guess that wasn't enough. Still, I almost caught the kid a couple of times, but Monokumas kept getting in my way. But he's in here, I know it!"

"Okay, okay... Let's hurry." And hurry we did. We ran through a couple of doors until we found ourselves in a hallway. At the end, the kid stood waiting.

Komaru called out "There you are! You won't get away this time!" As if scared by her yelling, the kid suddenly continued down the hall. I groaned.

We followed him through the corridors, the area getting... bloodier as we went along. Eventually, we reached a door at the end of the hall.

"Okay, assuming there's no fire escape in there, we have him trapped." I said. We walked in, and were greeted by a dimly lit room with bloody tools scattered on the floor. And no kid.

"This room is creepy..." Komaru said. "Like something might pop out at any second."

A shiver went down my spine. "D-Don't say stupid shit like-" Before I could finish my thought, one of the cabinets started shaking violently.

"Uh, when you say "pop out"..." Yuta started. Suddenly, the cabinet burst open, and a mangled, twisted Monokuma crawled out of it, turning its loose eye to us.

"Ah! It popped out!" Komaru jumped. She turned and started hammering on the door we entered from.

"I am completely convinced that this is your fault." I told her. "If you hadn't said anything..."

She turned to us. "The door's locked shut."

Of course it is. "...Alright then. I guess we're fighting." I turned to Yuta. "I hope you're cool with sitting back, since I don't have enough weapons for everyone."

"No, that's fine." He said. "I think I've had enough of these things for a lifetime."

"Cool." I turned to Komaru. "Keep me covered." As I said that, the Monokuma charged at us. We all dived out of the way, and I immediately retaliated.

It became clear this was no normal Monokuma. Well, I mean, you could tell just by looking at it, but that's not my point. Normal Monokumas caved in after a couple hits of my baton. I hit this one about three times before I realized it wasn't even denting it. Then it swiped at my chest, cutting through my uniform and into my flesh underneath.

I backed up so I was next to Yuta. I clutched my chest, and when I pulled my hand away, it was bloody. Still, just a flesh wound. "Ugh, that's probably gonna get infected. What happened to keeping me covered?" I called at Komaru, who was across the room.

She pointed her gun at the bear as it turned to her. With a pull of the trigger, it suddenly stopped in its tracks and started waving its arms in the air. I ran up and took aim to strike it in the red eye, which I noticed seemed to be the weak point on all the other machines. I'd like to be able to say I took it out in one fell swoop, but the reality is that it took me about two or three swings to break the glass over its eye, and yet another to smash through it and into the "brain" behind it. After that, the machine went limp, I backed up, and it exploded.

God. You'd think something as twisted as that would be easy to break. Was it... purposely designed like that? Not gonna lie, that's a little fucked up.

A loud click sound came from the door. Komaru jumped happily. "Ah, look! It's open now!"

Yuta sighed in relief. "I think I'm gonna have nightmares from that..."

I pulled my first-aid kit out of my lab coat and opened it. As I rolled up my shirt and suit jacket, I told him "Better than being dead. You guys go on ahead. I gotta stick a band-aid on this, or something. Just don't go far."

* * *

By the time I caught up with them, they were standing in a sick room, holding another novel.

"Hey, Al, look what we found." Yuta said, passing it to me.

I sighed and took a look at it.

_"Pure Family Companion"_

_"Dad's cheating with my classmate, Mom's beating up Grandpa and Grandma, my brother's chased around town by delinquents, and day and night I'm making this bomb to blow up the school... But this is normal for us. This is what a normal family looks like. I do have some complaints and worries, but any household would be the same, right? One day, a "stained boy" claiming to be a "Representative of the World" showed up at our house unexpectedly and said, "I'm going to reform you and your family..." It's none of your business! Will I be able to protect my family from being forced into "normalcy"?"_

I pinched the bridge of my nose, pushing my glasses up my face. "Okay... Where do I start? I feel ill."

"Doesn't look like it's gonna have a happy ending..." Komaru remarked.

"I can already guess. The main character wins in the end, and says something dumb like: We might be crazy, but at least we're happy!"

"Yeah, that sounds pretty plausible."

"The only people who think that's a proper Aesop are ignorant." I said simply. "It's not their happiness that's the issue, it's how their craziness is going to affect other people's happiness! Like, seriously, blowing up the school? Abusing the grandparents? There's a difference between being not normal and being a menace to society." I sighed, and tossed the book to Yuta. "I'm letting my anger get the better of me. Just take that thing away from me before I burst a blood vessel."

"Uh, yeah, okay." He tossed it back onto the bed they found it on.

"Speaking of predictions, Komaru, I'm guessing your family was pretty "normal," too, huh?" I guessed, though I already knew the answer.

"Well, actually... we weren't really that normal at all." She said. "We're a family of four. My parents, my brother, and me, but..."

"But...?"

"For example, Mom always watches the same variety show at lunchtime. Dad never shaves on weekends if he doesn't have any plans, and my brother goes to an amazing school. When we're eating dinner and it's just the four of us, we basically just watch TV and small talk."

I waited for her to continue. She didn't. "None of the things you said prove anything other than the fact that you're a boring, normal, suburban family."

"But if that's normal, isn't it kinda... _not _normal, because it's _too _normal?"

Yuta considered it. "Uh... Yeah, that makes sense. If you think about it."

"Hmph." I scratched my head. "Anyway, you said you have a brother? What's your relationship with him like?"

"Oh, we actually don't get along well at all." She admitted. "The only time we really talk is when we're snacking together, or talking about manga we like..."

"That basically describes my relationship with me and my siblings." I stated.

"Yeah, you two get along just as well as my sister and I do." Yuta agreed.

"Really? I figured other siblings would be much closer than we are..."

"Any closer and it'd be illegal." I said with a smirk.

Komaru suddenly turned to the ground. "But now that... you mention my family... I'm starting to get worried... I hope Mom, Dad, and Makoto are all safe..."

"Yeah... I hope Hina's okay..." Yuta said, his expression just as pained.

"I'm sure they're all just fine..." I said sincerely.

* * *

When we entered the director room, we were greeted by the kid, who had finally stopped running, standing next to a safe. He handed Komaru a cryptic serial-killer message telling her to solve a puzzle in order to open the safe, which has the key.

I glared at the kid. "We aren't here to play with you. Just give me the key."

Komaru scoffed. "A child challenging us to a battle of wits... He really doesn't think much of us, does he?"

"...Wut?"

"Al, we can't lose against him!" Komaru said, putting on a game face.

"You... You're going to play along with him? After this whole chase he put us through?"

Ignoring me, she went over and picked up a gift box laying a few feet away. Inside was yet another thumb-drive. When she plugged it into her gun, it gave her the use of DETECT.

When her and Yuta turned to me, I decided to provide a brief explanation. "Detect lets you use a black light function built into the gun. Black lights let you reveal things that are invisible to the naked eye, like invisible ink. Detectives like to use them to reveal stains that were wiped away, like blood, saliva, urine, semen..."

"Uh, TMI." Yuta said.

"Yeah, hopefully we don't have to use it for _that_..." Komaru agreed.

I kicked a bucket of paint that was on the floor. "Nah, these kids seem to be using it for invisible ink, exclusively. I doubt their wiping away any of the blood they spill, anyway."

"That wasn't the part we were... never mind." Yuta said, as Komaru stepped forward to solve the puzzle.

A few minutes later, Komaru had inputted a four-digit password into the laptop hooked up to the safe, and it swung open, revealing our prize.

"Yes! How about that!? We won, we won!" Komaru mocked.

"Congratulations, you beat a little kid." I snarked.

"Boo Hoo!" Came out of the kids helmet as he ran out of the room.

Komaru reached into the safe and picked up the key from before. "And with this, we can get into the subway!"

"Cool. Now, let's get out of here. I'm tired of this hospital already."

* * *

**So, uh, Albert kind of saved Yuta's life just by going through the same thought process I went through during that moment in the game. I don't know about the rest of you, but the minute Yuta said he was going to swim across, I was just like "Oh no, they're going to kill off Yuta." Now, I don't want to spoil my own story, because who does that, but Yuta isn't going to be a permanent member of this group. At least, not for the whole time. Hence why I didn't put his name in the Characters listings.**

**In the next chapter, we'll make our way to the subways, and our heroes will be met with an unexpected encounter.**


	3. Chapter 2

**Here we are at the end of the in-game Chapter 1. To compare, it took us until Chapter 7 in Another Hope to get to the end of that games Chapter 1. Granted, we skipped this games Prologue, but even counting that, this probably only took about half as long. There's also the fact that Albert's gamer instincts make him a little more street-smart than Toko was, so we're also skipping some less-necessary portions. Unlike some writers, I can't really guess how many chapters this is going to take, but it definitely won't be as long as Another Hope was.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

**The Hero Stands Tall**

As we stepped back into the area with the subway entrance, I was surprised to find a pair of adults in the area. One of them, a man, was cowering in a nearby alleyway, and the other, a woman, was crying near the stairs to the subway itself.

Komaru and I walked up to the man. She spoke first. "Um, are you alright?"

The man looked up for a moment, but when he saw her, he ducked his head back between his legs. "Eeek! A, A-A, A-A-A-A kid! Are you a kid!?"

"N-No, I'm not!" She assured him. "We're being attacked by the children too! I'm on your side!"

His breathing calmed, and he looked up. "I-I see... I'm sorry... I have to always have my guard up, y'know? Or else I'll end up dead... I know it's pathetic... Surviving by running and hiding like a coward."

I shook my head. "Hey, man, when tragedy strikes, we do what we have to to survive. No one will fault you for that. Are you alone?"

"...No. At first, it was my whole family with me, but... Now I'm the only one. My parents and my wife all ended up prey to those Monokumas..."

"Um, if you want... Do you want to come with us?" Komaru asked. " I'm sure it will be better than running alone..."

"Yeah, strength in numbers, and all that..." I agreed.

"Tempting offer, but I'm sorry, I can't." With a grimace, he outstretched his leg. "My right leg's torn up from a Monokuma. I can't run with just one leg."

"I could lend you my shoulder." I suggested. I looked back to see Yuta standing near the woman, and seemed to be trying to talk to her. "Or Yuta could, he's probably stronger than me."

He shook his head. "No, it's fine. I already let my family down... I can't bring harm to a bunch of strangers..."

"But..." Komaru started.

I sighed. "He said it's fine. We can't force him to come with us. Besides, he has a better chance of surviving if he hides by himself."

"Yeah... He's right. Thanks for your concern, but he's absolutely right."

"...Well, if that's the case... Okay." She gave.

I turned to the guy. "Look, man, once they get up some form of evacuations, I'll come looking for you, alright? So until then, just stay alive."

"...Ugh..." He started crying.

"What...?"

"I let my family die right in front of my eyes... And now I'm making you pity me... I'm pathetic... Just so pathetic..."

Sadly, we stepped away from him and went over to where Yuta was. He wasn't talking with her anymore, and had a solemn expression. I decided to try my hand at it. I slowly approached.

"It's not possible..." She was saying quietly. "Impossible, impossible, impossible... A kid... actually using a monster like that... A monster like that shouldn't exist... A monster like that... It's impossible..."

"Um..." Komaru said, just to make our presence known.

"Y-You two!" She looked up to us with terrified eyes. "You're not children, right?"

"No, we're not. We're also being hunted by the children..." Komaru explained.

"I see. Even though you guys are still so young, huh? Looks like we're all out of luck..."

"Hey, so, I heard you saying something about a monster?" I asked.

Suddenly, she started crying once more, and spoke loudly. "I-I-I'm sorry, I... Just... saying it out loud is... I can't..."

"If you can't say it, that's fine!" Komaru said.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

"I-I said it's just fine!" Komaru repeated.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Please, don't kill me, don't kill me..."

"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." I said. "Not surprising in this situation."

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry... I'm so sorry..."

I stepped away. She was completely unresponsive. "Man, what the fuck am I doing here? This isn't my job, I'm not trained to deal with this shit. I'm just an amateur psychologist. I can't help these people..."

"Al...?" Komaru said.

I turned to her, and to Yuta. Whether I trusted myself or not, they were depending on me. I had to at least do everything I could. "Sorry, you don't need to hear this. C'mon, you two, let's get moving."

We walked down the steps to the subway entrance, and Komaru used the key to unlock the shutter. Between the three of us, it was rather easy to open. Behind it, there was a dark staircase, going down, down, down into the depths of the city.

"...If we go down these stairs and through the subway, we'll be safe, right?" Komaru asked.

"Maybe." I said, taking a cautious step into the darkness. God, I hate the darkness. "Or, we could run into more danger than before."

"Well... Should we not go, then?" She asked.

I adjusted my glasses. "I don't know."

"No, we have to go!" Yuta insisted. "I mean, we don't have any better escape plans right now... So this is our only hope, right?"

"Our only hope..." I repeated. I stared down into the darkness. I hated putting my hope into the unknown. But if my time at Hope's Peak taught me anything, it's that doing so is sometimes the only way to move forward. "Alright. Yuta's right. Let's go."

* * *

The tunnel had odd graffiti along the walls. Childish drawings. I was hoping that didn't mean the kids already had the subway secured. We continued downward until the staircase came to an abrupt end. A few feet away from us was a bright yellow door. I slowly eased it open. If it wasn't dark in the staircase, it sure was beyond this point. Reluctantly, we continued.

"Starting to wish I brought a flashlight..." I muttered.

"It's not that dark." Yuta said quietly.

"It really is. I can't see my hands an inch from my face. That's darker than my sense of humour."

We walked a few more uneasy steps before my problem was solved. I was suddenly blinded by a sudden flush of light into the area. I rubbed my eyes. "Jesus! That's too bright!"

There were sounds of cheering, and once I managed to blink enough for my eyes to adjust, I saw why. We were standing in some sort of gladiatorial blood-sports arena. There were seats surrounding us on all sides filled with kids wearing the Monokuma helmets. We were separated from them by a chain-link fence.

"Wh-What is this?" Komaru asked.

Suddenly, the voice of a child rang out from the loudspeakers. "Hey-Hey! You totally fell for it! You really thought you were gonna escape, didn't ya? But too bad! I totally saw that one coming!" Then, a young boy vaulted onto an elevated platform opposite of the way we came in. He stuck a perfect landing. "I'm the super-duper Hero of the Warriors of Hope! Li'l Ultimate P.E., Masaru Daimon!" The cheers grew louder as he smirked down at us.

"What? Li'l Ultimate?" I asked. What was this kid going on about?

He pointed at us. "Hey! I won't let you escape, Demons!" I turned back to the entrance, and there was a chain-link gate closed over the door we used. So, I guess he wasn't kidding.

"I-It's him!" Komaru suddenly shouted. "He's one of the kids who put the wristband on me..."

Yuta nodded, staring at the young boy. "What's he doing here, now?"

The kid, Masaru, started stomping in place. "One of them!? Don't treat me like some chump, I'm the leader of the Warriors of Hope! I'm not like those adults who call themselves leaders but hide like cowards! The best leaders are the ones that stand bravely on the front lines! That's a true Hero, Lord Masaru Daimon!"

So this kid was the mastermind? I find that hard to believe. Still, looks can be deceiving. Nobody would suspect a high-school fashion model to be a mastermind behind a killing game, but here we are.

At his speech, the crowd began cheering once again. He scratched his head. "Ehe... Ehehehehe! That was cool, right? I looked totally cool right then, right?" Then, he turned back to us. "Hey, didja freak out when the leader of the whole group just popped out like that!? Scary, right!? Pathetic! Just like I always say, stupid little girls with no wieners are total cowards!"

Something told me that comment wasn't just directed at Komaru. But hey, I spent enough of my time on the internet to be used to having my genitals insulted. I also began counting the number of girls in the audience, but decided this kid was too young to understand sass.

"Alriiight! Brace yourselves, Demons! Even if you show your tummy like a dog and beg for mercy, you're gonna get it now!"

"Brace... for what?" Komaru asked.

"Isn't that obvious? This is the Killesseum! I'm gonna kill you Demons!"

"K-Kill!?" Komaru repeated, as if it were a surprise.

I made a mental note to keep the word Killesseum in my head, because if that was intentional, it's a pretty clever portmanteau. If it wasn't, well, I wouldn't be surprised. I decided to ask "So, I'm assuming the words adult and demon are synonymous in your head? And by that I mean, they mean the same thing?"

"Yeah, that's right..." He glared down at me with pure hatred in his eyes. "You adults are Demons... You are our enemies... Enemies of kids... That's why me and the Warriors of Hope are gonna hunt down every last one of you! And then make a peaceful paradise for children in this town!"

As the cheers in the crowd grew louder still, a door underneath the platform he was standing on opened, and a mountain of corpses spilled out. Not, like, a dozen or so, but probably over a hundred. Despite the amount of death I've seen, I jumped back. I had to press my hand over my mouth to stop myself from throwing up at the smell of the rotting flesh.

"What the fuck...!?" Yuta shouted at the sight.

"Wh-What... is that...?" Komaru asked, though she knew exactly what it was.

"What, you can't tell just by looking!?" Masaru teased. "These guys are the Demons I've hunted down! Ehehe! How 'bout it? Isn't it awesome!? It's worth one trillion brazillion points!"

I was too horrified to even point out the fact that a brazillion was, in fact, not a real number. When I trusted myself not to spill my guts all over the ground, I finally spoke. Though, I was too angry to really form proper speech. "You... son-of-a-bitch... You fucking psycho!"

"Ugh... Oh my god...!" Komaru whimpered beside me.

"Th-This can't be real... right?" Yuta muttered. "It just can't..."

"Just because they gave birth to us and raised us, they thought they could control us all!" Masaru yelled. "As Hero, I hunted them down and let everyone go free!" Once more, a round of cheers went out. "Ehehe... Now now, don't praise me _too _much... I just did what any good leader would do..."

"H-How could you do this...?" Komaru begged. "You guys... You all realize that one day you will all be adults too, right?"

"I won't become an adult!" Masaru declared. "I made a promise with the Warriors of Hope! I made a promise with Monaca... If I'm gonna turn into a dirty, mean, ugly, smelly Demon, I'd rather die as a kid!" More cheers. "You see...? You can hear it, right? Everyone loves me... They appreciate me... Because I'm their Hero... If I... hunt down every single Demon... Then nobody has to be afraid anymore! Th-They won't have to be afraid of the violence, and the pain! W-Won't have to... Afraid..." Suddenly, a sob escaped his throat.

Despite my rage and disgust, I realized there was something else going on here. It didn't take a genius to figure out that this boy was a victim of abuse. Yeah, murder was murder, and Masaru was still a fucking psychopath, but he's a victim of his surroundings. Someone else made him this way.

"I-I won't... be... afraid... I'm not... scared... at all..." He insisted. He wasn't trying to convince us. He was trying to convince himself. "I don't hafta be scared of the... The dark and pain and the alcohol smell... Not anymore... Not anymore, not anymore! No matter how much you beat me, I won't be afraid anymore! You hear me!? Not going... be afr... aid..." He stopped speaking for a moment and stared at his left hand, which was now shaking, like the rest of him. "Huh... Wh-What is this...?" He started laughing nervously as he turned his back on us. "Ehehe, yeah, th-that's weird..."

Suddenly, he started pounding his arm with his other fist, yelling at it, demanding that it stop shaking, while telling himself that he isn't afraid.

"I'm not scared of anything! I'm a Hero! I'M A HERO! A Hero... isn't afraid of anything! Isn't afraid of dying! Of killing! NOTHING!"

"Please, stop it..." Komaru begged quietly. I couldn't blame her. This was honestly hard to watch. But Masaru continued beating himself, picking up his own arm and slamming it against the ground. Finally, Komaru cried out "Please stop that!"

And Masaru complied. He stopped beating himself. And he stopped shaking. He reared his head back and laughed, before turning back toward us.

"I-It finally... listened to me... Ha... Hahaha... Hahahahahaha!"

"Stop it already! Please, please stop..." Komaru cried. "We're not Demons! We won't do anything to you guys. Please!"

"Komaru, I..." I choked. "I-I don't know if reason is gonna reach these kids... If they don't even respect life and death, then... They might be beyond saving."

Masaru glared at us. He pointed to me. "That one... is already a Demon. From the way he looks, to the way he acts and talks." Then he addressed Komaru and Yuta. "You guys, you... You look like you have lanky bodies, maybe you aren't... true Demons yet... But you're almost Demons. You're going to be just like the Demons, just like him, I can tell... And that's why I have to defeat you now, before you turn into one!" He raised his good hand, snapped his fingers, and one of the kids in the crowd tossed a big controller. He caught it, hung it around his neck, and shifted the control sticks.

The ground beneath us began to rumble. The three of us ran back as a large drill escaped the earth. What came out was a large yellow and white robot with drills for hands. It was decorated to look like a knight, with a breastplate designed to look similar to Monokuma. The loudspeakers announced the robots entrance. "**Hero Robot Mark Guyver!**"

"Wh-What is that?" Komaru and Yuta both asked.

"I-I don't fucking know!" I said. "I thought they only had Monokumas!"

"Hey! Watch me, everyone! The leader of the Warriors of Hope! The Hero! I am gonna defeat these wienerless Demons in no time!" Another round of cheers went out.

"So, what's the plan?" Yuta asked.

"I hope you're fine with hanging back again." I said. "We don't have enough weapons to go around. Then again, with that massive thing, I think our only chance is the hacking gun."

Komaru unhooked if from her skirt. "With this... we have a chance?"

"It's a machine. A robot. Robots have computerized parts." I explained. "With all that armour, my baton won't do much damage. Though, if I had to guess a weak spot..."

"Gooo! Hero Robot Mark Guyver!" Masaru announced. "Stomp all over these filthy Demons!"

He shifted the control sticks, and the giant machine charged toward us, its spinning drills accelerating. We all jumped away, me and Komaru to the right, and Yuta to the left. Komaru let out a few shots. If they had any effect, Mark Guyver didn't show it. It set its sights on me and charged. Was Masaru intentionally targeting me since I was an actual adult? If so... fuck.

I jumped and tried to twist out of the way of its drills. I actually managed to land on its weapon, like some sort of ninja. I felt cool... for about 1 millisecond. Because, you see, the drills rotate. So while it wasn't piercing my flesh, it sent me rolling across the ground of the arena, landing face-first in the dirt. Sensing the robots approach from behind, I kicked off the ground and scrambled away clumsily. I heard wicked laughter from the crowd.

Alright. If you want to target me, specifically, that can certainly be arranged. I was separated from Komaru, so I sprinted over to Yuta. "Okay, new plan. You're fast, so I want you to go tell Komaru that I'm gonna draw its attention, and she should just focus on offense. Target the breastplate."

"If I'm so fast, shouldn't I be the distraction?" He asked, jogging next to me.

"No, he wants me dead. These kids have such a vendetta against grown-ups, it'll be too much work for you to draw its aggro." I explained quickly. "Trust me, I play video games."

Suddenly, he shoved me as a drill swiped where I was about to run to. Before I could thank him for the save, he told me "Just be careful, alright, man?"

"Don't worry. I've survived too much to die in this hellhole. We both make it out of this, I'll tell you some stories." We split up, him running to Komaru, and I running to the center of the arena. I thought about taunting him, but I didn't feel too good about exploiting someone's broken psyche just for a fight. Besides, I already had his undivided attention.

It took a while, but attrition seemed to be the way to go. While I quickly grew exhausted, Masaru grew impatient, so both of us slowly became sloppier. I had a couple of bruises from simply getting hit by flying rocks when it hit the ground, but other than that, I was fine.

Eventually, Komaru shot Mark Guyver, and its breastplate flew off, revealing a bright red glowing light. If the red eye was the Monokumas' weakness, then this had to be this one's. I pulled out my baton and switched it on, hearing it hum to life. I charged it.

Then, Masaru called out "Special Move! Mega Drive Drill!" The robot dived toward me, with both of its drills pointed straight ahead. All or nothing. An easy bet for him to make, given our size difference.

Everything seemed to slow down. It was too late to move out of the way. We were only a few feet from each other, and my momentum was carrying me forward. Those drills would destroy me. I tried to sidestep the attack, but I knew I wasn't going to make it without a scratch, and that's if I'm lucky. And we all know I'm not that.

However, like usual, I was saved by an outside force. I noticed Yuta coming in from the edge of my sight. He moved like a bullet... and he hit like a bus. He positioned himself like a football player, thrusting his shoulder outward, and knocking me across the ground.

I quickly jumped to my feet to help him, but it was too late. Mark Guyver angled its drills downward, burrowing into the ground. I couldn't see very well from the rising dust cloud, but judging from his scream, and the spray of blood, Yuta was hit.

"Yuta!" Komaru shouted as she shot some bullets into the robots weak spot. It backed up, and started shaking violently. I ran over and grabbed Yuta, or, god forbid, what was left of him, and dashed away from Mark Guyver. Sure enough, I made it only a few steps before the explosion I was expecting went off, the shock wave sending me rolling across the ground once more.

As I rose, I did a quick inspection of the boy. Thank god, nothing vital was hit. His torso and head were fine. But that was where the good news ended. Both of his legs were torn completely off, just above the knees, leaving bleeding stumps in their place. Yuta Asahina would never run again.

I looked up. Standing on his raised platform, Masaru was furious as the dust settled. He looked like he was about to spout more nonsense, but then he noticed the kids from the audience were now standing behind him. One by one, they all reached out for him, dragging him violently into the crowd. From the sounds of it, they were beating the shit out of him. The only thing that remained were his headphones, which flew out of the crowd and landed softly on the ground.

"Wh-What the...? Why?" Komaru asked. "They're all kids, why are they...?"

I scooped Yuta up in my arms again. "It must be a Punishment for losing the game."

"Huh? What?"

"Look, we gotta get out of here." I said gesturing to Yuta. "Now's our chance, let's go."

"Y-Yeah, you're right. Let's go!"

* * *

Komaru slammed the door behind us, and, with no time to waste, I laid Yuta down on the ground to treat him. He was passed out, likely from the shock and the blood loss, but he was breathing. I retrieved by first-aid kit from my lab coat. "Keep me covered while I work, alright?" I told Komaru.

"Y-Yeah..." She had her gun ready, but she was shaking.

He was still bleeding. I hesitated to make a tourniquet, but it's not like he has any leg left to lose. I ripped off the bottom of my lab coat, and tied a thread around each of his thighs. The bleeding slowed quite a bit. From there, I decided to start disinfecting the wound. God knows where that drill had been.

As I got to work, I felt guilt boil inside me. A feeling I'm used to, given my status. Before I could stop myself, I choked out "Why does this always happen...?"

"...Huh?" Komaru asked.

I decided, if she was going to be entrusting her life in my hands, she might as well understand. "Shit like this... always happens when I try to help people. Actually, Yuta is one of the lucky ones. I've had friends die because I failed to think of the consequences my actions could cause. And now... I'm dragging two innocent kids across the city with me. If Yuta hadn't met me, he wouldn't have lost his legs. You two would be better off without me."

"Th-That's not true..." Komaru said. "If you didn't come for me at the hospital... I don't know what I would've done..."

"Probably died..." I admitted. "You're right. I'm sorry, I'm just cynical. It's just, I've been through this routine so many times."

I decided the wounds were clean enough, and thought about what to do next. With the way the wounds looked... I doubted I could suture them. I decided to start applying bandages. Where was Mikan when you needed her? Actually, she's probably killing people, wherever she is, so... I guess I can do this on my own.

Komaru asked "I-Is Yuta going to be okay?"

"...I don't know. I don't know anything."

Before I could say anything else, she fell to her knees, and started crying into her hands. "We... We're going to die here, aren't we? No matter what I do, or how hard I try, I'm... We're just gonna die here..."

As I continued to layer the bandages, I responded. "No... I know I like to bitch and moan, but it's not hopeless. We can make it out of here. We will."

She shook her head. "Unlike you, I'm... I'm just some normal, regular girl. I-I can't even do anything..."

"I used to think like that. I used to use that as an excuse to be lazy. But after what I've been through... I can't afford to be lazy anymore. C'mon, look at it this way: if you give up now, you'll never see your family again. Are you okay with that?"

"Of course not... I want... I want to see my family... But we've been separated for over a year. I don't even know where they are... It's probably too late, anyway... I'll probably never see them again."

"Yes, you will. Your parents, your brother, you'll see them. You just have to get out of this city. Have a little hope." I finished with the bandages, and returned the first-aid kit to my coat.

"No, you don't understand... The worst despair of all comes from having hope like that. Having such strong hope and just losing it in an instant..."

"Alright, then don't. Don't hope. Just be alive. As long as you're alive, you can do anything."

"But... but..."

I grabbed her face, and turned it toward me. My bloodstained hands bloodied her cheeks. "Don't give up, don't give into despair, and don't think that not having talent makes you worthless. There's always tomorrow. Even if I die today, there's still tomorrow. That's what I've told myself everyday for the last year. And as long as I'm alive, I can live to see tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after that. And I will fight, tooth and nail, to make sure that I can make it to the next day that I can enjoy with my friends, if even for a moment. Now, my only question is, do you want to die, or do you want to find that next moment of peace and bliss?"

She stared at me, tears still in her eyes. "O-Okay... I'll try. At least a little bit longer."

"Good." I reached down, and scooped up Yuta in my arms. He was still alive. Who knows, maybe we could run into a medical professional who may be able to help him more. Something's bound to happen if we keep moving forward.

When we scaled the stairs out of the tunnel, I noticed something new. There was another subway tunnel. Komaru noticed, too. "Huh? Isn't that...? If I remember right, that place should have been buried in rubble, right?"

"Looks like the debris was cleared away while we were fighting that robot." I guessed.

Komaru started jumping. "Then we can get to the subway from there!"

"True, but, think about it. It's a little too convenient. If it's really just a coincidence, then we must be the luckiest people in the city, and, well..." I shifted Yuta in my arms.

"So you think this is a trap, too?" She asked. "B-But if you think about it, something that's _obviously _a trap might not be a trap, right!?"

"I don't think that kind of logic applies here..."

"I-If you say it's better not to go, then we won't do it. But..."

"That's not what I was getting at." I clarified. "There's nowhere else to go, anyway. I was just telling you to prepare yourself for whatever's down there."

"Prepare myself? O-Okay. Got it."

We stood at the top of the staircase into the darkness below. "God, I hope there's some sort of lighting down there. I hate sitting in the dark."

"It's gonna be alright." Komaru assured me. "I'm with you, after all."

"Yeah, that makes me feel better." I said with a smirk. "The girl who was crying a minute ago has my back."

Eventually, we ceased the bickering, and descended down into the depths of the city. However, when I was only a few steps down, I got a sudden feeling of dread. The same feeling I always get before something bad happens. And... I felt like I was being watched.

I turned around, and scanned the streets real quick. I noticed a bit of movement from the rooftops, but when I stared up at the building, there was nothing.

I shook my head. My exhaustion was causing me to get paranoid. I just hope I don't start seeing shit in the dark I don't want to... I have a lot of bad memories I'd like to keep in my subconscious.

Regardless, I stepped forward, intending to find some hope in the tunnels below.

* * *

**Yuta traded his legs for his life. What kind of Saw-level shit is this?**

**But seriously, I said Yuta wasn't going to be a permanent member of the group, and I wasn't lying. Obviously, he's not going to be able to do much for himself until they get his some prosthetics, which I doubt they're going to be able to find in this city.**

**The Warriors of Hope was one of the main reasons I wanted to make this story. A bunch of kids who have developed mental issues due to various forms of abuse, versus Albert Wright, a student of psychology? How much despair will Albert be in when he realizes just how beyond help these kids are? We got a taste of it in this chapter. I wonder how far Monaca will push him?**

**If anyone finds it odd that Albert has a fear of the dark, I would like to point out that the only area in Hope's Peak that was dark enough to be scary was the trash pit, but Albert already knew there was nothing down there, since he played the game. In Towa City, he's flying blind, and therefore everything is that much scarier. So certain little phobias may make their way out. At least it's not as crippling as Toko's fear.**

**Either way, in the next chapter, our heroes will journey underneath the city.**


	4. Chapter 3

**So, I decided to post this chapter a day earlier than intended, mainly because I managed to get it done early, but also because it's Easter ****weekend, and I'm unsure if I'll be able to get the next chapter done in time with the holidays going on. Then again, I managed to post a trial chapter in Another Hope at Christmas, which is normally a more hectic time of year for me, so who knows?**

**Regardless, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 3**

**Safe Haven**

"For some reason... a completely empty station like this makes me anxious." Komaru said when we reached the bottom of the stairs. A few flickering lights illuminated the subway station we found ourselves in.

"Yeah. And, like I thought, the trains aren't moving." I noted.

"But if you walk along the railway from here, you should be able to get out of the town, right?" She asked.

"Yeah. But that's only if I can't find a place to use this radio." My hand went to my pocket. Sure enough, my radio sat heavily inside. I then went back to supporting Yuta. I was now carrying him piggy-back style, but since I couldn't quite support his legs, I was holding his arms around my neck.

Either way, I began looking around. Other than the subway tunnels, there seemed to be another route that led through an underground shopping center. "Instead of going to the subways directly, we should try to find a hiding spot somewhere else. Without having to weave around all those buildings, we may have an easier time navigating the city. So long as we don't lose our way..." There was also the fact that I knew a few tactics used in tunnel warfare, so we might be safer.

I blinked when I thought I saw a Monokuma crawling out of the darkness. Then I realized it was another kid, wearing a helmet. With a robotic laugh, the girl walked up to Komaru and handed her another thumb-drive, this one containing some bullets for KNOCKBACK. Then, she ran off.

"Those bullets cause the machine to react as if it had been shoved by a great force, but the waves don't travel very far." I explained. "So, I guess keep that in mind if we're standing near some holes or something."

"But this gun belongs to Future Foundation, right? So why are the _kids _giving me bullets?" She wondered.

"Maybe... they're trying to help us...?" I suggested.

"Huh? Help us?"

I sighed. "I have a theory I'm still working on... Though those kids' behaviour is only confirming it. But let's not worry about that right now. Let's find someplace safe."

"...Y-Yeah." She decided not to argue.

We took a few steps down the way to the shopping center when a Monokuma came out, dressed like a SWAT member and carrying a riot shield. Komaru fired a couple of bullets at it and... nothing. I wasn't sure how a shield could block radio waves.

"Use the new bullets!" I suggested.

With KNOCKBACK, the Monokuma was launched backward, losing hold of its shield. When it got back up, it charged us, not bothering to pick up its shield again. This made taking it down a lot easier, as it wasn't anymore durable than a standard Monokuma.

As we walked by, I took a look at the shield. It might be useful to have... but we're already carrying enough weight as is. It'll be better to just avoid getting hit at all than trying to tank hits.

"That shield is so sturdy..." Komaru noted. "Is it gelalumin?"

"You... Do you mean duralumin?" I asked.

We continued onward to the shopping center. It was even creepier than the subway tunnel.

"Why would they even make a place like this underground? It can't be that good for business, right?" I wondered aloud.

"...Maybe it's subtle political satire?" Komaru suggested.

"Okay, you really need to leave the stupid jokes to me." I stopped when I saw a bunch of kids playing with a grown woman's body. When they saw me, they ran away, leaving the body behind.

"The children playing with the bodies... They're different from the ones who give us items..." Komaru said. "They look the same, but... Something's different about them."

"Some are nicer than others." I said. "The same can be said for any group of people out there. I don't think it really means anything, though."

"Then do you think the ones who help us know it's wrong to kill adults?" Komaru wondered.

"Maybe, maybe not... We shouldn't worry about it too much." I said. "C'mon, let's pick up the pace."

* * *

"Mastering Disappointment." I read. "Various regrets accompany life. Messing up at work, rocky relationships... If only I had done things differently... If only I could go back to that day... Have you been looking to the past lately? What you need is to master disappointment. Because you haven't been able to attain "ultimate disappointment," you will forever be stuck in the past. Acquire the "skill of disappointment" so that you may finally begin looking toward the future. A guidebook to life that shines upon tomorrow, written by an author who has seen so much of the world, living in a pharmacy until the age of 10. ...What's wrong with being disappointed? Tomorrow for tomorrow's sake."

"I don't really like books like this..." Komaru admitted. "I feel like I'm being... scolded or something."

"Yeah, I can understand why some people like things like this, but..." I shook my head. "I've never really seen the appeal. Even when I was at my weakest, I managed without them."

"A weaker Al... I can't even imagine it." Komaru said. "To me, you're always a strong person who never gets depressed."

"Heh, like I said earlier, I'm good at lying and putting on a face." I reminded her. "I guess only my closest friends really know how weak I am. They're also the reason I've never given up. I guess you could say I've grown a little since meeting them."

"Grown, huh... I guess I gotta do that..." Komaru said.

"Yeah... In a situation like this, innocence has no place." I said sadly. "It's not really a question on whether or not you want to change or get stronger... You _have _to." I glanced back at Yuta.

"I have to..." She repeated.

I decided to try to use a bit of subtext to get my point across. "Imagine being locked inside a closed space with your classmates and forced to murder them... That's bad enough on its own, but imagine being the only one to have the knowledge of who's going to kill who, how they do it, when they do it, and why. Do you stand idly by? Do you try to stop them, at the risk of making the situation worst? Whether or not you want to... An experience like that _changes _you."

"I can't even imagine that..." Komaru said. "But our current situation is just as unbelievable, really. I guess I do really have to change."

"As long as you don't change for the worse, you'll be fine." I offered a gentle smile.

"And Al, that thing you mentioned earlier, about killing your classmates..." She started.

"Don't worry about it..." I said. "It's... It's alright."

"No, I was gonna say... That's such an interesting concept! What a cool setting... You should be a writer!"

"...Uh-huh..."

* * *

During our underground journey, we started nearing a staircase leading out. I was planning to ignore it, but suddenly, we started hearing muffled cries for help. When we rounded the corner, we found four Monokumas beating on someone who was hiding under a blanket or something. Kids nearby watched intently. The cries grew louder.

"Someones getting ambushed." Komaru stated. She dashed forward. "We gotta go save them!"

I hesitated, because I doubted I could fight well while carrying Yuta. However, before I could find a place to set him down, Komaru had already put down all four of them. "Huh, nice shooting." I praised.

We inched closer to the blanket. Komaru knelt down to lift it. "Um... Excuse me... Are you alright?" However, we were both stunned as the blanket came off. Lying on the floor, cowering in fear... was a Monokuma. However, the side that was supposed to be black was sloppily painted white, and there were bandages over its red eye.

Komaru immediately jumped back. "It's a... Monokuma?"

"What the hell...?" I asked, stepping back. "I never thought infighting would occur between machines like this."

"What does this mean?" She asked, rising to her feet. "Monokumas beating up another Monokuma?"

Before I could respond, the little bear jumped to its feet. In a soft, high-pitched voice that didn't sound like the Monokumas I knew, it said "Puhaaa! I-I thought I was gonna die!"

We both jumped back. Komaru shouted "I-It talked!?"

The Monokuma turned toward us. "Ah, don't be scared! It's okay, I'm not a particularly suspicious bear! I'm a nice bear! The kind of bear who would give my opponent the corner in Othello..."

"Komaru, hurry and shoot it!" I'll admit I may have overreacted a bit, but the last talking Monokuma I met killed nine of my friends, so...

Like a good girl, Komaru readied her gun. "Y-Yeah!"

"W-Waaait! Please, don't shoot me!" It begged. "I promise you'll understand if we just talk it out!"

"Talk?" I repeated. "Why the hell are you even talking in the first place?"

"I-I have an AI inside me! I'm different than the other Monokumas!"

"You have... an AI...?"

"That's right. I can think and reason. I won't run amok like those other bears." It started twirling around, showing itself off. "I'm your ally. Look, I'm all white, see? Ehehe... I'm a white bear, so I'd like to be called "Shirokuma.""

"Y'know... It's kinda cute." Komaru admitted.

"Never judge a book by its cover." I said. "The cute ones are always the craziest." For proof, just look at Junko Enoshima, Nagito Komaeda, or really any attractive student of class 77-B.

"Don't say that!" The bear told me. It turned to face Komaru. "We can be friends. I wanna be friends with as many pretty ladies as possible."

"And now he's a pimp." I said simply.

"N-No, I'd never do anything like that...!" It argued. "Anyway, what are you guys doing in a place like this? A fragile girl wandering around a dangerous place like this is a big no-no!"

"Pfft. Last I saw, you were the one getting your ass kicked."

Komaru decided to actually answer. "It's not our fault, we don't know where to go."

"I see... So you're drifters, driven into a corner with nowhere to run... If that's the case, leave it to me! I can take you to a safe place!"

"...Huh?" Komaru gasped.

"A safe place?" I repeated. "That sounds like something a kidnapper would say."

The bear stared up at me. "You went through a lot up till now, so you have trouble trusting people. I understand. But the world is also full of amazing people! You don't have to be so pessimistic!"

"I can trust people just fine." I said. "It's trusting a Monokuma that's the issue. Call me racist or whatever, but I'd have to be some kinda dumbass-"

"Hey, where is this safe place you're talking about?" Komaru asked. Of course.

"Full disclosure?" It held its paws up around its mouth. "There's a secret base here underground, where adults are living in hiding."

"S-Secret base?" Komaru repeated. She turned to me. "Did you hear that, Al? A secret base! With adults gathered there! We should go there too, right? Hey, what do you think? I mean, what should we do?"

I thought about it. We _were _looking for a place to hide, at least until I can get a proper layout of this city. If this Monokuma was offering to take us to a place that's been proven to be safe, why not? Aside from the fact that Monokumas are known for being manipulative bastards.

I sighed. "How do I know we can trust you?"

"I just want to save you!" It assured me. "If you come with me, you can see whether or not I'm telling the truth!"

"You hear that!?" Komaru asked, excitedly. "What should we do!? If you think we shouldn't, then I'll go with you, but logically... this is the best option, right? This is the kind of chance that like, 100 out of 100 people would take!"

"Alright!" I snapped. "Alright, we'll go."

"Right!" She said. "Then let's do that!"

The Monokuma puffed out its chest. "Alright! I'll lead, so follow me!"

"Yeah!" Komaru agreed. "I'll leave it to you, Shirokuma!"

"However..." I interrupted. "A word of warning. I'm watching you. If you give me a reason to even think you might be leading us into a trap, I'll smash you to pieces. Capiche?"

"Y-Yeah, I understand!" Although I doubted a Monokuma would have a desire for self-preservation, I was hoping its AI would at least be advanced enough to make it different.

"Good. Lead the way."

He lead us to a door a few feet away. Komaru fiddled with it for a minute, but the knob wouldn't turn. "It's no good. It's locked."

"No problem! Leave it to me!" Shirokuma announced.

"What are you gonna you?" I asked.

It went over to a large pipe sticking out of the wall. It jumped up, and climbed into it.

"Wha-? It went inside!" Komaru said, like I didn't just see it. A moment later, there was a click, and Shirokuma opened the door from the other side. "And it came out!"

"Tadaaa! It's unlocked now!"

"Amazing! That's a pretty convenient body!"

"Uh, sure." I said. "Nice trick, I guess. But I'm not gonna compliment your body."

* * *

Speaking of bodies, one of the many bodies we came across had a notebook laying a few feet away from it. There were already a few bodies like that, and I tried to read what I could of their final moments. I had Komaru pass me the notebook. Supporting Yuta with one arm, and holding the notebook in the other, I flipped to the final page.

"_This entire island is no good anymore. No matter where I hide, the Monokumas will find me sooner or later. I made it into the underground but it's not like this place is going to be safe forever. I remember the bodies. All of them stacked up like debris. I remember them at random times, out of nowhere, I see their faces. Will I join them soon?_" The writing got messier and messier as it went along. "_If I'm going to be killed like that, I think I would rather commit suicide. Just end it. But I'm too scared to choose suicide. I'm scared of dying and then meeting my friends in the afterlife, the ones who wanted to live so badly. I feel like suicide would be betraying them. There's no way I can do that._"

I sighed, and dropped the notebook next to the body. "Even until the very end, he tried to live. He tried to live, for the people who didn't make it..."

"H-How horrible..." Shirokuma said.

"Do you... know this guy?" I asked.

"No... I have no idea who he is... But an adult killed by children... He didn't do anything wrong... I never get used to seeing it. It's the worst tragedy our society has ever seen..." I wouldn't say that too loudly, considering the Remnants of Despair are still out there. "Ugh, if only... if only I had more power... If I was stronger I... I could have prevented this."

"It's not your fault, Shirokuma." Komaru said. "C'mon, cheer up."

"Th-Thank you..."

"Yeah." I agreed. "If anything, it's the other way around. It's this killing game's fault that you're even alive. Because, you know, there wouldn't even be any Monokumas in the city."

Judging from Komaru's and Shirokuma's expressions, I might've said something wrong. It's not my fault, I don't know these characters. If I did, I could tell them exactly what they wanted to hear. Though I probably wouldn't. I sort of swore off manipulating people like that after my failure during the first killing game. Also, he's a Monokuma.

* * *

The white bear led us into a small storage room. In the center of the floor, there was a small hole with a ladder sticking out. Shirokuma stepped up next to it, and sat down gently. "Phew... Why don't we take a break here? Of course,_ I _don't have to take any breaks, but I was being considerate of you two!"

"Well, thanks for the thought..." Komaru said.

"You two really are strong. Ahaha, I'm glad you aren't my enemies!"

"That hasn't been decided yet." I reminded him. "I've still got my eye on you."

"But I'm really not you're enemy." It said, looking down at the floor. "What do I need to do to have you guys trust me...?"

"Just don't attack us, and I won't do anything." I told it. "I just find it really convenient that you just ran into us down here. Were you following us?"

It stared at me. "...It's true that I diiid coincidentally see you guys go down here, so I came down here to wait... But it was just so I could save you! I swear! I was watching you for a bit and you seemed like you were in trouble, so I wanted to save you."

"We're the ones who saved you, remember?" I reminded.

"...Oooh, I'm so ashamed."

"But why did you want to save us?" Komaru asked.

The bear shrugged. "No reason in particular. I just want to save people, that's all."

"...Huh?"

"There's no way I should be the only one keeping his fur white at a time like this."

"...Al, this one is definitely..."

I stepped forward. "How come, just because you have an AI, that makes you act differently than the other Monokumas?"

"You can ask, but... even I'm not sure myself." Shirokuma said. "The only thing that I can say is that I have an AI with a personality. A special thought process. I don't know who put this AI in me, or for what purpose..."

"You don't even know that?" Komaru asked.

"But it's the same with humans, right? They don't know where they came from and why, right? Knowing that made me feel like... I never want to be lost! I have a heart, and I'll follow it!"

"...That's amazing..." Komaru said.

"Ehehe, you think so?"

"It's easy enough to spout sentimental crap." I said. "But you also gotta prove you believe your own words. Until then, you shouldn't find it that impressive."

"I can't help it." Komaru said. "It's not like I'm special or anything... I'm just a normal girl."

"Getting real sick and tired of that line."

"Now then! Now that that's cleared up, it's about time we move along!" The bear walked over to the ladder.

"What's cleared up? I have more questions than before!"

Shirokuma pointed at the hole. "See, if we go through there, we can get into the sewer."

"The sewer?"

"Yeah, the secret base is hidden there. Oh, but the other Monokumas don't know about it, so shhh!"

* * *

Climbing down a ladder while piggybacking an unconscious dude is difficult, to say the least. I was surprised by how spacious the sewers were. I was afraid we were gonna have to skulk around some tiny tunnels, and I would quickly start feeling claustrophobic. I don't know who was in charge of the designs of part of this city, but they must've been a maniac.

At points, we'd find a dead end, and Shirokuma would crawl through a pipe and try to extend a bridge for us. Monokumas would then show up, and Komaru would have to dispatch them. It was during these times I realized just how much of a burden Shirokuma was. I mean, yeah, he was helpful, but anytime danger reared its head, he'd just sit there and cower. When I took this job, I thought Komaru would be a lot of extra weight for me to carry, but she was actually doing pretty good, given the situation. Shirokuma is a much more traditional example of an escort mission, and anyone who's played a game with those would know that that's a bad thing.

Eventually, we found another book. Or, more accurately, a tourist guidebook. "Top 100 Sweets You Don't Want to Miss." Komaru read. "Prepare your sweet teeth! We have chosen the top 100 sweets to eat in Towa City this Spring. Although the city is mostly known for its technology, Towa has tons of other attractions, like beautiful sea views and delicious sweets! We are going to introduce these Towa specialties-" She paused, squinting. "The letters are smudged here... We can't read after that."

"Shame." I said. "I was actually pretty excited to learn about what the hell people did in this city other than read stupid books. Of course this is the one we find that's unreadable."

"It's like Murphy's Law." Shirokuma proclaimed. "The more expensive the item, the more likely it is to break. When you wash your car, it rains. It's not a scientific theory or anything. It's just a theory popularized by pessimists."

"I'm only pessimistic through experience." I told it. "Trust me, the fact that I haven't died yet is a miracle compared to what usually happens to me. And my attitude's been getting better besides. It's only really my sense of humour that's negative."

Shirokuma interrupted me awkwardly. "I-I just wanted to give you a bit of trivia about an interesting idea, that's all..."

"Sorry, I tend to ramble." I admitted. "Still, I already knew about Murphy's Law. If you want to teach me something, make it more useful."

"Hm? Information more useful to you?"

"I mean, if you were conscious this whole time, you must have some testimony of what went down in this place." Even if Future Foundation didn't necessarily send me, I should still at least investigate where I could like an actual agent.

"Well, I don't mind explaining, but..." The bear thought for a moment. Or, loaded, I suppose. "Promise me one thing, first?"

"...Promise?" Komaru asked.

"What I'm going to tell you will sound... fishy. But if you promise you'll believe me, I'll talk."

Well, that wasn't a problem with me. I don't know how Shirokuma thought this worked, but I was perfectly fine making a false promise to a stranger. "Sure, I promise. No matter how nonsensical, I'll believe you." Besides, it couldn't be any crazier than half the shit I've seen.

"Thank you! Then I'll give you the truth. The day I awoke was the first day of the violence. When the Monokumas began their attack. It was right here, just above us... I saw Monokumas attacking adults, and I thought... I have to do something! I painted my body white, and covered my red eye, and found a spot the children don't know about. I made the secret base there. Every time I found an adult, I brought them back there to hide."

"If you woke up on the same day the riots started, then it's pretty obvious you share your origins with the Monokumas." I pointed out.

"But I'm pure white inside, just like this body..."

"Because you painted yourself."

"Y-You promised that you wouldn't doubt me!"

"I didn't sign a contract. It was just a verbal agreement. Also, you're a Monokuma."

"Ugh, this is why I didn't want to tell you..."

Komaru turned to me. "Even I think it sounds a bit strange, but... Right now, the only thing we can do is believe him."

"Well, I don't think being hyper paranoid is necessarily a bad thing." I tried to argue.

* * *

We approached a very long ladder. I was feeling uneasy, because we were standing on a walkway over a giant drop into a giant hole. I doubted there was enough water to break my fall, and given the height, I'd probably die anyway. So I decided not to fall.

When we reached the base of the ladder, Shirokuma turned to us. "And here we are. C'mon, follow me." With its stubby legs, the bear began slowly climbing the ladder.

I sighed. "Alright, I guess I have to climb first. Just don't be mad if I drop Yuta on you."

After about a minute of grueling, careful climbing, we reached the top. Shirokuma turned to us. "See? Right here." If front of us was a giant shutter. Shirokuma went over to a switch next to it, and flipped it. The shutter quickly lifted, revealing a large room filled with adults. None of them seemed surprised at our entrance. They simply went about their business. A few did stare at us, though. "Okay. Come on in, you guys."

"So many adults here." Komaru gaped as we stepped inside, the shutter closing behind us.

"I think... this just made my job a lot easier." I mused. If I could get everyone all gathered in one spot, evacuations would be a snap. Once we get evacuations open, at least...

"It's an old warehouse where they used to store water tanks." Shirokuma explained. "The kids don't know about it!"

"...Um, what's with those trailers?" Komaru asked. Sure enough, there were quite a few storage trailers stacked up in the corners of this place.

Shirokuma stood proudly. "I brought them here to make it a little easier for everyone to live. Ehehe, aren't I strong? I might not look like it, but I'm built the same way as a Monokuma."

"You look exactly like it." I pointed out. I felt Yuta weighing on my back. "So, uh, could we get some medical attention for this guy?"

"Oh, of course!" The bear started running away. "We already have a few injured, so I'll see if I can find one of the doctors. Wait right here!"

We stood waiting by the entrance. I examined the place. It seemed to be well put together. I wondered if they had any weapons, or if we were stuck with makeshift things. What were their current plans of attack? How's their supplies? Man, so many new ideas and options just opened up to me.

A minute later, the bear returned with a middle-aged man in tow. He wore rubber gloves and a surgical mask. "Shirokuma told me you have an injured?"

I passed Yuta on to him. "He got his legs torn off in a fight. I disinfecting the wound, and did what I could to stop the bleeding. I also gave him a dose of painkillers, just in case."

The doctor inspected Yuta a moment. "His condition seems stable, at least as much as possible for now. I'll take him to the others, and we'll keep an eye on him. You know his name?"

"Yuta Asahina." I replied. "I leave him in your care."

With that, he left with Yuta, and now it was just me, Komaru, and the killing-machine-turned-apparent-hero. I turned to the latter.

It seemed somewhat bummed by the talk of injuries and stuff. Still, it looked up to us. "Since you're here, you might as well talk to everyone! You can talk to me after." And then waddled off.

"Cool. Just what I want to do when the world's gone to hell: socialize."

* * *

**I decided that was a good place to cut it off. Not a lot happened this chapter, I'll admit, but we managed to meet Shirokuma, and make it to the adult base.**

**Writing the conversations between Shirokuma and Albert was actually something I was looking forward to. Naturally, Al would be distrustful of anything that reminds him of the Despairs. At the same time, though, he wouldn't be as harsh with his accusations as Toko was. Either way, I think it'll be interesting to see how Albert's opinion changes throughout the story.**

**Also, lol, Albert thinks the resistance has a plan of attack. That's precious.**

**In the next chapter, we'll meet some new faces in this secret base, and Albert will get to work on his plan.**


	5. Chapter 4

**Turns out Easter weekend didn't slow me down as much as I thought it would. Aren't I so good at planning ahead!? Well, the plus side is, you guys don't have to wait too long for this chapter. But then again, if you hate this story, then that's not really a plus side.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 4**

**Sitting Ducks**

Komaru and I both decided to go around and meet some new people. After all, if there's one thing Fire Emblem taught me, it's that people fought a lot better when they were beside people they cared about. We stuck together, since there wasn't really any point in splitting up. Some people were watching us, some ignored us.

An older man was looking us up and down. He muttered to himself. "Ones who just came in look pretty young... You better not be on the side of the kids."

I straightened my back so I was taller than him. "Do I look like a kid to you, dude?"

He shrugged. "Well, if Shirokuma brought you guys, we don't have to worry. We can trust him."

"Were you also brought here by Shirokuma?" Komaru asked.

He nodded. "Yeah, all the people here were. We were all saved by Shirokuma." He let a second pass before turning around. "But hey, sorry to be rude but, I don't really feel like talking. You can chat with someone else." Then he walked off.

Komaru turned to me. "Was that guy in a bad mood or something...?"

I adjusted my glasses as I continued further into the base. "Well, I can't really blame the guy. My mood's been taking a serious plummet until we found this place."

We found a woman who wasn't talking with anyone. She had a bandage wrapped around her leg, and was holding her arm.

Komaru walked up to her. "Um, are you hurt? Are you okay?"

The woman grimaced. "Ah, it's pretty bad, don't you think? The kids did it. If Shirokuma hadn't been there to save me, I would have been..."

"It saved you? Shirokuma?" I asked. Who would've thought the little thing could actually do something other than crawl through pipes.

The woman must've mistook my surprise, though, and turned to me with a glare. "Shirokuma saved our lives! If he weren't around, everyone here would be dead by now. You saw his wounds, right? He got those trying to help us all. I can't thank him enough..."

I raised my hands defensively. "I meant no disrespect. It's just... I guess it didn't make a very good first impression. We found it getting its ass kicked by its brothers."

"Don't do that!" She demanded. "Don't lump him in with the other Monokumas!" She huffed, and limped away from us.

"Huh. Guess my social skills are worse than I thought." I said.

"Um... Is there any reason you distrust Shirokuma?" Komaru asked.

"Trauma, mostly."

We were approached by a man who seemed to be in a good mood. "Why, hello there! You must be new. I hope we get along well together."

"Yeah, same here." Komaru agreed.

"It's nice to know not everyone here is going full edgelord." I said. "So, I've been meaning to ask someone, do you have any idea what the current plans of attack are? What kinda weapons we have?"

"Attack? Weapons?" He shook his head. "It'd be reckless to attack now, they have an army of Monokumas. We couldn't win..."

"Uh-huh..." Well, I doubted that army was going anywhere anytime soon. Clearly, this guy wasn't in charge of strategy here. "But... is there any form of attack team? I mean, we can't sit in this cave for the rest of our lives."

His expression turned serious. "Well, there's nowhere else to go. You guys saw how terrible they are, right? To actually... kill people for _fun_... They're all insane. I hate them. Even if they're kids, if they push me..."

"You'll what? You'll kill them?" I asked. "You think that's gonna solve anything? Or are you just saying that to make yourself feel better?"

He looked between the two of us. "What's with you guys!? If you're just here to offend people then... goodbye!" With that, he stomped off.

I had a pit in my stomach. Nobody here seemed particularly... active. They just talked about what they were going to do, but there wasn't any action. "It's like everyone here has just... given up. Is anyone actually planning on helping out?"

Komaru stared at the guy. "But that's... probably because it can't be helped."

"What do you mean by that?"

She turned to me. "They... know how powerless they are. The only thing they can do... is admit they can't do anything."

I wanted to give her the same speech I gave her after our battle with that drill robot, about not giving up, but I decided now wasn't the time for that.

We approached on older woman. Komaru tried to start a conversation. "U-Um... Hello."

"...Yeah." The woman said, taking a puff of her cigarette. She didn't add anything. In fact, she didn't even face us.

I muttered "Does nobody here have any manners?"

"...Well, sorry 'bout that." She said.

"Y-You heard that...?" Whoops.

Finally, she turned to me. "I have sharp ears. I can even hear things I don't want to hear. It's a pain. If you two plan on staying here, it might be better if you cover your ears as much as possible... Because eventually, you'll get sick of it."

"Sick of it...?" Komaru repeated.

"I can't really get along with the people here..." She said, changing the subject.

"Why not leave?" I suggested.

"Well, that's a good point. Staying here isn't going to improve the situation any. But what I can accomplish by myself is limited. Since that's the case, I'm better off being here." She removed her hand from her pocket, and I noticed yet another wristband just like the one Komaru and Yuta have.

"Ah, that wristband!" Komaru jumped.

"Your wristband's the same too, right? This is my first time meeting an ally." She offered a smile.

"So, you're a target in those kids' games, too." I noted.

She took another long drag of her cigarette. "Yeah, how about that...? Of all people, I can't believe I was turned into a toy for those kids."

"Um... Are there others like us who have wristbands on them?" Komaru asked.

"Well, I'm not sure about the precise number, but there are plenty." She said. "The others are somewhere in this town, probably shuddering in fear. If possible, I want to save them... and bring them here."

"You? Save them?" I asked.

She shook her head. "No, of course not me personally. But some of the adult here..." She leaned forward. "Listen, everyone other than Shirokuma isn't allowed outside, but they can sneak out. Actually, sometimes I have adults bring back cigarettes from the outside."

"So... you have some sort of authority here?" I guessed.

"Nah, it's not like that." She gave me a wink. "I use a woman's special charm. It's especially effective in situations like this." She looked to Komaru. "Of course, you're not a full adult yet, so you won't really be able to use your charm..."

"Y-Yeah..."

"But anyway, that's the gist of it. If you ever see someone with a wristband or clues, let me know. We have to save them before they get killed by those brats."

"...Yeah, understood."

She took another drag. "Oh, that's right, I almost forgot. The name's Hiroko Hagakure. I'm once-divorced and currently single. My age is a secret." I didn't like the way she looked at me when she mentioned she's single.

Hagakure, huh? She seems too old to be a sister. Probably a mother or aunt, then. I didn't think I'd be able to break it to her that her son was dead. I'll keep that... under wraps for now.

"My name is Komaru Naegi. Pleased to meet you."

"Albert Wright. Al, for short. And, likewise."

"Okay, noted. You're Koko and Al." Huh. Giving Komaru a funny nickname, and just using the one I gave her for myself. That level of half-ass... Yeah, they're definitely related.

"Say, about this..." I pulled out the stack of Hit Lists we found during our travels thus far, and passed them to Komaru. She held them up to Hiroko.

"Oh don't tell me..."

"Yeah, it's exactly what you think." I said. "Hit Lists made by those kids to help them hunt you people down."

"We picked them up on our way here..." Komaru said. "The children must have dropped them."

Hiroko scoffed. "One minute they're going around killing adults, the next they're dropping their homework... Pretty creepy... but definitely childlike."

"I don't think there's anything "childlike" about them, anymore." I pointed out.

"Well, setting that aside for now, lets take a look at the lists." She reached over and pulled one from the top of the stack, the one for Takaaki Ishimaru. "Well I'll be damned! I never thought this guy would be in town."

"Do you know him?" Komaru asked.

"Nah, it's not like that. Look, read this. If this is true, this guy's father is the former Prime Minister."

"Now that you mention it, I think I remember that..." I said. "Though, uh, I don't know the details."

"Well, there was a Prime Minister named Toranosuke Ishimaru. He was a genius, but didn't do well in school. Despite that, he became the Prime Minister. But in the end... a scandal ruined him. Probably smothered by his own talent."

I was nodding along. I heard about most of this from Taka, of course. When I played the games... Man, that felt like a lifetime ago.

"But the problem is Takaaki Ishimaru. I heard about him a little too... There was a big stir about him being a cop, after his dad got caught. Folks wanted him fired."

"I guess Japan's big on the "sins of the father" idea, huh? Though I can't say it's too much better elsewhere..." I shook my head. "Well, having a cop on our side might be advantageous."

"I hope he's safe, at least..." Komaru wished.

"I feel for him, even if he is 5-0. But that's neither here nor there." Hiroko added. She glanced at the list once more. "Towa Science Memorial, huh? Alright, I'll send rescue guys right away."

Komaru nodded. "We'll leave it to you. I'm sure he's afraid, being all by himself."

"Leave it to me. I'd give him the shirt off my back if he wanted, and with _my _charm..."

"You don't need to finish that sentence." I said, reaching for the next Hit List, one for a boy named Takemichi Yukimaru.

Komaru was still reading it, though. "Hey Al, look at this... It says "Crazy Diamond," right? Is that like... a band or something?"

"Crazy Diamond? Nah, they're a biker gang." Though, if he really was part of them... barring some amazing coincidence, he must've been Mondo's captive.

"...A bike gang?" Suddenly, recognition crossed her face. "Ah, you're right! Al, how did you know?"

"I doubt it was anything like clairvoyance, but it is pretty weird that a foreigner would know that name." Hiroko remarked, taking the Hit List.

I shrugged. "I just happened to hear about them. They are pretty famous, after all."

"The Crazy Somethings... How famous are they?" Komaru asked.

"Did... did you seriously forget what they're called already?"

Hiroko answered. "Crazy Diamond was the name of the biggest and fiercest biker gang in all Japan. This Ruru guy must be pretty skilled if he's an elite in that group. But, more importantly, he sure does look cute for an Elite Commander... If only I were 10 years younger... I would have gone to save him myself on my bike." I glanced at the photo attached to the List. He was certainly much cuter than Mondo, or what I imagined his right-hand man would look like.

Komaru was lost in thought. "Wow, Miss Hagakure from 10 years ago! You must have been super cool, beating up criminals all day!"

"Oh stop it, Koko." She said. Her expression was a little more serious. "I was one of those criminals. The cops couldn't count on two hands how many windows I broke in the day."

So, Hiro's mom was a former delinquent. Why didn't that surprise me? "...So, it was at least eleven, huh?"

She chuckled. "Alright then, I guess I better send out the order to go save that kid." Komaru passed her the next one, for a girl named Kanon Nakajima. "Oooh damn, this girl's a super hottie." I wanted to say something about, if Hiroko was male, that statement would be seen as a lot creepier. Then I realized, this was Japan, and the girl in the picture appeared to be in her late teens at least, which was perfectly legal, so... culture shock.

"I admire girls like her." Komaru agreed. "She looks like a manga heroine."

"I can see the appeal of the whole tomboy style." I admitted. "A team manager, huh? And for a baseball team..." Well, gee, I wonder who's captive _she _is.

"I bet if this girl was a team manager, those guys would be really pumped up to win." Komaru said.

"What kind of moron would try hard at sports just to impress a girl..." I stopped myself. Speaking of Leon... "Actually, scratch that, I know a guy just like that."

"...Hm? An acquaintance of yours?" Hiroko asked.

"You could say that..."

"Well, high school boys are like that." She stated. "They can live a whole month on nothing more than porn, fried chicken, and manga."

"Hey, now. That's not true." I argued. "We need more than just fried chicken when we're growing boys."

She chuckled. "Yeah, well, point being."

"So... Does Makoto also...?" A look of horror dawned on Komaru's face.

"No doubt about it." Hiroko said certainly. "It's true of every high school boy in the whole damn world. But back to the point... Looks like her hunting grounds are unknown." She smirked. "I'll help you out. I'll convince some of the adults here to help look for her."

I scoffed. ""Convince," huh? Guess there's not so much difference between adults and high schoolers."

Hiroko stared at the last Hit List in Komaru's hands, the one for Yuta Asahina. "So? Is that all?"

"Oh, well, we already met Yuta. He came in with us." She explained.

"Oh? How's he doin'?" Hiroko asked.

I sighed. "He got his fucking legs torn off. It's all my fault... We got in a fight with one of those kids. I wasn't thinking, and I was about to get myself killed for it. Then, Yuta came in and... took a bullet for me, so to speak. Just another person I owe my life to..."

Hiroko was silent for a minute, taking long drags from her smoke. Finally, she stomped the ground and growled "...Dude, that's just... unforgivable!"

"...Dude?"

"An innocent kid getting maimed by some crazy-ass kids... No matter what you think it shouldn't be allowed!"

"H-Hey... Miss Hagakure..." Komaru tried to calm her down.

"They might be kids, but they're gonna get their just desserts! It will cost them at least a finger!"

I raised one of my fingers. "...Uh, sorry, you said you were a _former _delinquent?"

Suddenly, she turned toward me, giving me a terrifying glare. If looks could kill... "Huuuh!?"

I immediately jumped back. "Ah, d-don't hurt me...!"

"Hey, Miss Hagakure!" Komaru shouted.

The woman shook her head, backing off from me. "Ooops... My past self came through a little bit there... But more importantly, that's just terrible... His legs, huh? Poor guy."

"Yeah..." I sighed once again. "If he just never met me..."

"It's not your fault, Al." She assured me. She nodded at Komaru. "All boys want to do is act cool in front of girls."

"Well, it's not her fault, either." I said. "But I get what you're trying to say. Sorry, I know I shouldn't be beating myself up."

"It's just hard to think about." Komaru agreed.

"Hey, it's fine." Hiroko said. "If you're gonna be down, you should go as far as you'd like. The more down you are, the easier it is to stand up a little."

"Yeah, thank you very much."

"Heh, the older the wiser, huh?" I said. "Well, don't worry. We'll keep moving. And if we find anymore of those Hit Lists, we'll be sure to let you know. And, uh, thanks for this. For helping all these people out."

"No problem." She said. "In situations like this, we all gotta stick together, right?"

* * *

"...So?" Shirokuma started once we met up with him again. "Everyone here is so nice, there's nothing to worry about, right?"

"If these people are the best example of "nice" that you can come up with, then sure. I guess there's no such thing as bad people, and everyone is really just misunderstood and grumpy. Guess there's no need for Future Foundation or anyone like that."

"Wow, such an amazing world! That's the epitome of my ideal!"

"...I was being sarcastic."

Ignoring me, it lead us to a doorway into this important-looking building. "Well then, it's about time we went back to the important stuff. This place is used as a conference room, so let's talk inside. Here, come in!" We entered the building. The only things inside were a bunch of tables, some trash cans, and lockers. "Huh? He's not here... He's usually here, though."

"Who's not here?" Komaru asked.

"The leader of the Resistance." The bear looked around. "I wanted to introduce you guys to him. Can you wait here a little while? I'm sure he'll be back soon."

"Eh, it's not like I have anywhere else to be right now." I said. "Though, from what I've seen so far, I'm not sure what to expect from this guy." I went over and took a seat at the table. It felt good to finally rest my legs.

Komaru, on the other hand, went over to the lockers and started searching them. I guess she's a kleptomaniac in the same way her brother is an expert mystery-solver. She found a pair of notebooks, neither of which contained any useful information. However, she also found a list of names. She passed it to me.

"The victims and the missing are divided into two lists..." She said. "They're both pretty long..."

I stared at the paper. The names were written very small, squeezing as many as possible. Even so, the entire page was filled. I sighed. "This isn't even a mass-murder anymore... They've basically declared war."

Shirokuma nodded sadly. "The kids call is "revolution.""

"That's just semantics!" Komaru said.

"Exactly. Call it whatever name you please, in the end, there's still a mountain of bodies. But by calling it a revolution, they justify it in their minds, and become even more brutal."

"Yeah, self-justification is a pretty common and powerful psychological thing." I said. "Though, from how you're talking, it sounds like you know these kids pretty well."

"You're talking about the Warriors of Hope who lead the "Monokuma kids," right?" He asked. "From what I know, they were apparently students of an elementary school affiliated with Hope's Peak."

"Hope's Peak Academy!?" Why did it always have to come back to that place?

"What about it?" Komaru asked. "Did something happen before?"

"Ugh... That's a really long story. I'll get into that another time. Anyway, are you telling me Hope's Peak also had an elementary?"

"They're not technically affiliated. Attending Hope's Peak still requires being scouted. But the elementary was still prestigious. Many Hope's Peak Academy students came from there. The elementary studied the talent of children. Only child prodigies could attend."

"Except, then they all went insane." I pointed out.

"I guess that just shows that having a great mind does not always make a great person. Or child." Because children aren't people? Odd way to phrase it. "A child's talent can easily be corrupted into something evil. Those five are the worst example. Actually, the Warriors of Hope were all in the classroom with the "trouble" children."

"Well, that explains a lot." Though, a child's talent isn't the only thing that can be corrupted. An adult's can be, too. I thought back to the Remnants of Despair. Why were they so prevalent in my mind during all this?

"It might be more accurate to say that they owned talent not even the teachers could control. And what makes it more horrifying is that they're still kids. They kill without guilt or mercy. You remember what you were like when you were children? How many cruel things you did? Insane because they're too pure. Uncontrollable because they're too innocent. Children with more potential than adults, with such cruel natures... How horrifying it would be if they were truly out of control. Towa City is an example of that."

At that moment, the doors swung open, revealing a man with long, dark blue hair, a scruffy face, and an arm in a sling. "Yo, Shirokuma. I heard you were looking for me."

"Ah! Haiji!" The bear waved him over.

"I heard you went outside again without my permission. Didn't I tell you it's dangerous?" The man, Haiji, turned his attention to Komaru and I. "So, two more newcomers?" He went over and took a seat next to me at the table. "Name's Haiji Towa. I'm the leader of the Resistance here."

Towa, huh? I took a moment to read the man. He could've been pretty young, but his scruff made him look somewhat older. So I dunno. He didn't really have a regal vibe like Byakuya, but given recent events, that's understandable. "Albert Wright. Al, for short. Hope we can work together."

"I'm... Komaru Naegi." She stepped forward. "Um, if your last name is Towa, does that mean that you're...?"

"Yeah... I'm from the Towa family." He said.

"Haiji's father is a chairman of Towa Group." Shirokuma explained.

"So,you're from high society, huh?" I remarked. "Last rich kid I met took me a while to gain the trust of."

"Well... I'll tell ya right now, I don't have status or money or anything." Haiji admitted. "Those kids took it. Thanks to them, I lost everything. Towa Group, and even the whole damn Towa City..."

"Do you know who's leading the children?" I asked.

"...Who knows?" Though he didn't sound very convincing.

"Do you know why Towa City was targeted, specifically?"

"Sorry, but I don't really know much about Towa's situation. Didn't really do anything there. And the one who would have all the answers, my dad... He's been missing since the riots."

"Missing..." Komaru repeated. "I... I'm the same. I don't know where my parents are, either." Cool, you can be Schrodinger's orphans together. She stepped forward again. "So I... I want to go home no matter what! Please, tell me how to get out of this city!"

He was silent for a moment. "...If there _is _a way to escape... I'd love to know..."

"...Huh?"

"All the roads that connect to the outside are blocked completely. And it wouldn't matter anyway. That wristband... Those kids put it on you, right? It'll explode if you try to leave the city limits."

"Called it." I said suddenly.

"But... Does anyone know how to take it off, or something?" Komaru asked desperately. Haiji simply shook his head. "N-No?"

"I _want _to help, but... I'm sorry, it's just not possible." Shirokuma said.

"However... No need to get too down about that." Haiji assured us. "At least this place is safe. Those brats don't even know this place exists."

"Y-You're telling us just to hide here?" Komaru asked.

"It's not like you can escape anyway. Staying put and keeping quiet is the best move right now."

"You're... You're right... At least, as long as I'm here... There's no need to worry..."

"I object." I said. "I need to ask, why aren't you fighting?"

"...Hm?"

"Isn't this a resistance? Isn't that what this organization was formed to do? I understand attrition, but waiting's not going to make that army go anywhere. So why aren't you _fighting_?"

"Fight? That'd be suicide. We have no guns."

"Ah, yes, because it's impossible to get some makeshift weapons together." I snarked.

"See this arm?" He said, raising the one in the sling.

"Your arm... Did a Monokuma do it...?" Komaru asked.

"Yeah. Got crushed, crumpled up like paper. The whole thing took a split second. Those brats were... laughing. Like it was fun to them. While I was screaming, bleeding... They're not kids... Not anymore. They're devils!"

"Devils...?" Komaru repeated.

He sighed and leaned back. "Well, the bright side is, even my nerve endings were crushed, so I don't even feel the pain. Of course that just means it'll never fully heal."

"And I suppose the same's true for your will?"

"...Huh?"

"If I were you, I'd seek revenge, or at least get to work stopping these things so they never hurt anyone again. But instead, you're just gonna live in fear for the rest of your life?"

"What the...? You sure got harsh..."

"Well, I'm sorry if I can't respect someone who's pretending to be a brave leader, when in reality he's just a cowardly rat."

"It's not like I'm going to hide forever! I'm just waiting... for the right opportunity to strike!"

"Like I said, those kids aren't going anywhere. In fact, their army is probably only getting bigger. The best time to strike is _sooner_ rather than _later_."

He stood up. "What's the point of fighting back, knowing that you'd die!? It's all for nothing if you're dead!"

I disagree. But I'm not going to get into philosophy right now. Still... I'll admit he may have struck a nerve. I looked around the building, before finally landing my gaze back on Haiji. "The way you are now... You might as well be."

"Al! That's too far!" Komaru said.

"Really? I think it's just far enough. I mean, look at it this way, we have actual confirmation that you can't leave with that wristband. So now, you have no other option but to fight back. And yeah, maybe you have no talent, maybe you're completely average, but so what? What matters most is what you do with what you have. If you want to sit here with these guys and keep making excuses, then you're not doing anything, meaning, you're completely worthless. In other words, you may as well be dead..."

"Wh-Why are you being so cruel!?"

"H-Hey now!" Shirokuma got between me and the others. "I'm sure Al didn't mean it like that...!"

"Yeah, I did. Nothing changes from denying reality, from turning your back on what's going on around you. Whether you like it or not, bad things happen. Standing by and letting it happen is the lowest form of cowardice. That's what they taught me... It's what he left me with..."

"...Wh-What are you talking about?" Komaru asked.

Haiji stepped forward. "Rushing forward at full speed with no hope of success isn't courage, it's stupidity."

"Not if you fuckin' do it right."

"Well? Do _you _have a plan? Do you know some way to get out of here? Do you know how to remove a wristband?"

"Well, first of all, having a plan is the leader's job, and I have yet to hear one out of you. And no, "wait" doesn't count. Secondly, I'm sure Future Foundation technology could get it off easy, if I could just get into contact with them."

A look of horror crossed Haiji's face. "Wait, hold on. What did you just say about Future Foundation?" His expressions changed to rage. "Don't tell me you're just going to leave it up to _those _guys."

"Uh, why wouldn't I?"

"U-Um... Albert is a member of Future Foundation."

"What...? What did you say?" He looked uncertain for a moment, before turning his back on us.

"...Haiji?" Shirokuma started.

"If that's the case, then I'm sorry, but... Get the fuck out of here. I refuse to cooperate with you." He walked around us and made his way to the door.

"Ah! H-Hey!" Komaru called after him. He didn't stop. "What happened? Why'd he get angry all of a sudden?"

I stared after the guy. The 14th Division was supposed to deal with public relations. Maybe we weren't doing our job well enough. "I guess I just pissed him off. Well, if he doesn't want Future Foundation's help, that's his problem. Let's go."

"Huh? But..."

"He told us to get out. We can't stay here."

"Y-You're right but..." She paused, and gave up. She followed me out of the building.

* * *

"What... is that?" Komaru asked. Most of the adults were gathered around a production truck that was parked in the center of the hideout. Apparently, it was turned on, and a massive television was showing some kinda broadcast.

"S-Someone, help! That's my wife!" A man yelled.

"P-Please calm down!" A woman begged.

Another man yelled "I can't! I can't just stay calm looking at this!"

One man stamped his foot. "This is a trap! They're just trying to flush us out. Why fall for their cheap tricks?"

"Did something happen?" Komaru asked. We inched forward.

"...It might be better if you guys didn't look." Shirokuma warned.

"Why?" I asked.

"Just because the adults managed to make their way here... doesn't mean they're "saved." As long as we're helpless against the children, there will be no future for the adults here. But, there's no need for you guys to worry about that! I'm sure you're already troubled enough..."

I sighed. "You're goddamn right about that. I've never been so tired..." I'm pretty sure I've been awake for the past... eighteen hours, at least.

"And... sorry about earlier. I never thought Haiji would react like that..."

"It seems as if he hates Future Foundation." Komaru noted.

"Well, the feelings mutual." I said. "I don't got time to worry about people like him. The exit's over there, right?"

"Huh? Leaving already?" The bear asked. "You should at least stay the night."

I was about to tell it to get bent, but I hesitated. I was having a hard time keeping my eyelids open, and there wasn't any coffee in sight. I sighed. "Okay. Just one night. But I swear, if anyone attacks us, I won't show them mercy."

* * *

"See, this place is a private room. It's usually used for the injured and sick." Shirokuma said.

I'll admit, having a door to close was nice. More privacy than I thought we'd get. There was just one little issue. "I see there's only one bed."

"Well, we have a limited amount of resources, so this is the only room that's left. Unless you want to bed with Yuta?"

I sighed. I wasn't so eager to talk with him. I'll admit, I still felt guilty about getting him maimed. "Guess I'm sleeping on the floor, then."

The bear looked around, somewhat shiftily, and leaned in. "And about what you mentioned before... Are you really a member of Future Foundation, Al?"

"Yeah. What of it?"

"And if you make contact with them, they will come and save us?"

"Well, yeah, but reaching them is the problem..." Komaru answered for me.

"It's true that it will be difficult... But it's not impossible." The bear produced a small laptop inside a briefcase. "I'd like you to have this."

"...This is..."

"It's the newest wireless device Togami group developed. It can send audio and video. It wasn't available to the public, but groups like the police and Future Foundation use it." Well, that was a lot better than my radio. But I wasn't about to through my radio out, because that's dumb and knowing my luck, I'd need it.

"So if we use this, we can call Future Foundation?" Komaru asked, suddenly excited. Oh, how easily she forgets.

"It's not that simple." I said.

"Yeah..." Shirokuma agreed. "Because of the jamming..."

"Jamming? Like, raspberry?" Komaru asked with sudden horror.

"It means radio interference." I clarified. That answers a lot of questions. The kids had some sort of jammer affecting the city, so no one can call for help. That's why my radio suddenly stopped when I crossed the city limits.

"Thanks to the signal jamming everywhere in Towa, this device can't be used in town." The bear said.

"So why are you giving us this thing?" I asked.

"The jamming radio waves are emitted from a huge building called Towa Hills. If you send a signal from a higher spot, you should be able to avoid the jamming. And out of all the buildings in this city, there's one that just might work. And it's not far. A skyscraper called Towa Tower. It's a huge tower, a landmark of Towa City. That building is taller than Towa Hills, so you should be able to send a signal from there."

"Then, if we go there, we can call Future Foundation?" Komaru asked once again.

"Why us?" I asked. "You have the device necessary, and the knowledge you need to get the plan working. Why didn't you tell any other adults?"

"It's impossible for anyone here." Shirokuma said. "Monokumas are patrolling outside, after all. But I've seen you two fight. You can beat those Monokumas and make it to the tower..."

"Alright. Well, not to sound like a dick, but, hypothetically, why should I help? The big boy Haiji made it quite clear he doesn't want it."

"I'm sure he'll understand. If Future Foundation comes, his people will be saved as well. Of course, I won't force you. No doubt about it, this will be a dangerous mission. I wish I could do it myself... To tell you the truth, I'm jealous of you two... I wish I had the power to protect people..."

Komaru turned toward me, her expression serious. "Hey, Al?"

"Lemme guess, you want me to decide, huh?" I sighed.

"...I want to go."

"...Huh?"

"I know it's dangerous, but we found a way to survive up until now..." She explained. "So I want to keep trying. Keep going forward."

I stared at her. She was a weird girl. One minute she's cowering, wanting to hide underground, the next, she's begging me to take her on a dangerous mission. Did my mini speech to Haiji motivate her? Or is Shirokuma's fanboying giving her a boost in confidence? Well, either way, I was planning on going there, anyway, and I'll take all the help I can get. "...Alright. If you want to go that bad."

"Then... we are going!?"

"We have to at least try. We'll check out the area. If it's too dangerous, we find another building. If it isn't, we'll contact Future Foundation and work from there." I decided.

"Looks like you made your decision." The bear said. "Thank you so much. I'm grateful for your courage. Well, make sure you get plenty of rest today so you're prepared for tomorrow!"

"Thank you." Komaru told it. "I'm... finally starting to see some hope, thanks to you, Shirokuma." She knelt down, and gave the bear a hug. Well, I guess it _is _supposed to be a teddy bear. "Shirokuma, thank you so much!"

"Wah! Wawawa!"

"Hmph. Well, thanks Shirokuma. But I'm not about to hug you. I still don't know what we're going to do with the kids, though..."

Komaru stopped hugging Shirokuma. "What do you mean?"

I considered how to say this. "You know how I've been saying that I had a theory on those kids? I think this theory might explain all of the evidence we've found up until now."

"...Well, what is it?" She asked.

I decided to just come out and say it. "I think these kids might be brainwashed."

"Brainwashed...?"

"It would explain why every single kid in the city is wearing a helmet, aside from the ones in charge. Those helmets are being used to control them. It also explains why some of them are helping us. Those kids must be doing everything they can to resist the brainwashing..." Which, if that's true, makes them pretty badass little guys.

"But, brainwashing... Does that really exist? I've only seen that in science fiction!"

I shook my head. "No, it's actually surprisingly easy, though it's not as simple as sci-fi likes to make it look. Obviously, though, this can't just be advertised to the public. Governments like to keep shit like that under the hood. But the brain is basically an advanced computer. If you can screw with the programming enough, you can turn anyone into anything. All those helmets would need to do is, like, inject the kids with dopamine every time they kill an adult, and cause them pain anytime they try to help or spare them. With how weak-willed children can be, it'd only take a few hours, at most, before they become "addicted" to killing adults."

"I-If that's true... That's horrible!" Shirokuma shouted.

"Y-Yeah..." Komaru agreed. "If they are under mind control, they aren't really to blame at all, right?"

"Exactly. The only people we can truly blame for this are the masterminds. The kids who put that wristband on you." I sighed again. "Sorry, I shouldn't spring this all on you so suddenly, especially when we need to rest for our mission tomorrow. But I just wanted you to know what we're getting into."

"It's okay..." She said. "As long as we stop the people behind this, we can save them, right?"

"Well, brainwashing can have long-term effects, but... As a psychologist, I might be able to treat them. Maybe." No, I _should _be able to. I _have _to. If I can't help these kids, if I can't make use of my abilities here, when it matters most, then why did Headmaster Kirigiri save my life by giving me this talent in the first place?

I made my way to the corner of the room, removed my lab coat, and draped it over myself like a blanket. "We'll think about that later. Right now, I doubt we can tinker with those helmets. They're probably rigged to blow, just like the wristbands. Once we get some reinforcements in, we'll be in a better position to act. And in order to do that, we need sleep." Man, I was so glad to be able to recharge after staying awake this long.

"Right..." Komaru tucked herself in for the night as well.

* * *

**I like the Hit List conversations mostly because it serves as a way for Albert to have a bit of remembrance for his fallen friends. Taka, Mondo, Leon... Also, given how I kind of gave Hiro the shitty end of the stick, I'm glad I can write his mother as the one adult that doesn't get on Albert's nerves. Hiroko is a really fun character to write. ****Speaking of characters I like to write, Haiji's a horrible person. I can't wait to write Albert's reactions to some of his lines later on. Having him snap at the resistance for their cowardice makes sense, given the events of the last story. But I wonder how he'll feel about it once they actually start doing something.**

**Also, I think it makes sense for Al to consider the brainwashing angle this early, given the profession he's currently pursuing. Obviously, he'd find it weird that every kid in the entire city suddenly decided to betray their parents at once.**

**In the next chapter, Albert will put his plan into action. And we all know how well his plans usually work out...**


	6. Chapter 5

**One thing I noticed when writing this chapter is that, due to the amount of page breaks, there's quite a bit of mood whiplash. One minute, we're talking about a dangerous mission, the next, we're talking about a dumb book. Then, we're taking in just how horrible these children's actions are, then Komaru is excited about a dumb book.**

**Then again, I guess that's kind of a problem with Despair Girls itself. Emotional moment, 10 minutes of gameplay, and then a dumb conversation. Just an observation. I have to say, writing this story has been an interesting exercise so far.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 5**

**To Towa Tower**

Komaru met me at the entrance of the secret base. "How's Yuta?" I asked. She went to see him before we set out. I neglected to go, because... Well, I'm a coward and don't like to face the consequences of my actions.

She had a solemn expression. "He seemed pretty depressed about losing his legs... Obviously..." I nodded. "He also... wanted to see you. He actually seemed worried that you were dead when I came in alone."

I felt more guilty that before. He sacrificed his legs for me, and I couldn't even bring myself to give him a goodbye before I left. "If we survive this, I'll go see him when we get back."

Komaru nodded, and didn't push the issue. Shirokuma opened the entrance for us, and we exited into the sewer.

"...It's morning." The bear said as we stood on the raised platform outside.

"Yeah, sure is." Komaru agreed.

I squinted at her. "How do you know that? We're underground..."

"But still, I feel refreshed. I was able to get a really good night's sleep."

"Speak for yourself, my back's killing me. Besides, I think what you really need is a shower."

Shirokuma turned to us. "Okay then, now I'll tell you how to get to Towa Tower. After you climb the ladder, go the opposite way you came from. That will take you above ground. A little bit past that, there will be a river. Follow the river, and you'll find the tower."

"Doesn't sound like it's too far away." Komaru said.

"Yeah, well, it's not about the journey, it's about the amount of bullshit between here and there." I pointed out.

"Well, it's gonna be alright! I'm sure of it!" Heh, words of a true Naegi.

"What makes you so sure?" I asked.

"Because of you, Al! You might be worried for whatever reason, but as long as you're around, there's no need to worry!"

"I've literally done nothing other than insult you and lead you around a destroyed city, escaping death by the skin of your teeth. Oh, and bitch and moan, of course. You sure that's not the Stockholm talking?" She was a very dependent person, after all.

Ignoring me, Komaru turned to Shirokuma. "Just leave it to us! We'll definitely get a message off to Future Foundation!"

"No promises, though." I clarified. "Because, apparently, you take promises from strangers seriously."

As we walked forward, the bear waved us off. "You two be careful! Have a safe trip!" As if it was a pleasant outing. Ugh.

* * *

"If You Are Not Careful With My Little Sister's Sixth Sense The World May End So We Must Be Very Cautious In How We Treat Her." I read. And yes, that was just the title. "And the award for most uselessly long title for anything ever goes to this thing. Congratulations, your prize is a thesaurus, because goddamn, you need one."

Komaru read the description on the back. "Wataruko Tsumichi- the meaning of my life, the guidepost of my life, the world itself in my eyes. If it's for the sake of Wataruko, I won't even mind sacrificing my own life!... That's what I believed until yesterday. When I woke up that morning, Wataruko was roaming around the house, bending all the spoons... But can she bend the very fate of the world!? The world's best sci-fi love comedy, 1st volume!"

"Oh, sure, you can say you're the world's best. Words don't cost a thing." I said. "Also, judging from the title and the fact that it mentioned them living together, I'm guessing she's the narrator's little sister, so what was all that "light of my life" crap? Sounds like someone has a sister complex."

"...Well I obviously don't read light novels... but it looks like it might be a good read." She admitted.

"Oh, yeah? What kind of literature do you normally read?"

"Well, I don't really know how it's classified... I'm really just into manga..." She admitted.

"So you've mentioned. But I mean... c'mon, you can't _just _read comics all day, can you?" I asked. I didn't want to sound like an elitist or anything, but... "When I asked, I was thinking more like, novels."

"Well, it's a _graphic _novel... And there's tons of different kinds!"

Why did I feel like Toko would have strangled her by now? Whatever, at least I'm not above reading comics. But as the only form of reading in my average day? "I mean, that's like, only ever reading visual novels. Or calling yourself a gamer, but only playing visual novels. Not that I have anything against visual novels," I mean, hell, I'm in a world that was a visual novel in the world I know. "but they're basically the digital equivalent of graphic novels."

"H-Hey!" She suddenly snapped. "You can make fun of _me _all you want! But if you make fun of manga, you've crossed the line! I won't forgive you!"

"What is this...?" That was a sudden change in attitude.

"Well, I mean... Reading manga is like, my only hobby. I'm proud of the fact I'm well-read... You don't like it when people make fun of stuff _you _think is important, right?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't make a big deal out of it unless it's really important, or they misunderstand something about it." I said. "And how well-read can you be? I bet you only read, like, 1 a week."

"F-For a high school girl, 1 a week is a lot! I have to buy them with my allowance, after all... And what's important is the quality, not the quantity! It's about your love for the medium!"

That got me thinking about my love for mediums I like. Books, comics, video games. I shrugged and kept walking. "Alright. I know better than to push an issue I can't win."

"Really? So you admit that manga is a real form a literature?"

"Well, it doesn't matter what I think. Like what you want. Don't let other people tell you that something isn't important, or worth caring about." I said. "Before all of this, I had this game that I was a huge fan of. My brother called me a weeaboo for it. Oh, that basically means a western person who's obsessed with Japan, kinda similar to an otaku. I didn't let his words bother me, but it did upset me that, apparently, I wasn't allowed to like something just because it's heavily based in another country's culture. Heh, sorry, I didn't mean to make that about me. I was just making an example."

"No, it's okay." She said. "I feel like I'm starting to get to know you better. Hey, what was this game called, anyway?"

Eh, a little info can't hurt her. "It's called Danganronpa. It's a mystery game where you play as a high schooler trying to solve the murders of his classmates."

"That sounds so cool!" She said. "Hmm... for some reason, I wonder if Makoto would like that kind of game."

"I doubt it. C'mon, let's pick up the pace. We don't have all day, after all."

* * *

When we finally climbed out of the sewers, I was glad to get a breath of fresh air. Then I remembered the air is kinda polluted, only helped by a bunch of purifiers, so it wasn't that fresh. Then I noticed our surroundings.

"Whoa!" Komaru jumped. "This place is... a graveyard!?"

"Yeah... looks like it." Except everything was graffitied, splashed with bright neon paints. Did these kids have no respect for anything?

"It doesn't just look like it, it's clearly a graveyard..."

"Well, the whole city is basically a graveyard at this point. At least here, we don't have to look at the bodies."

"Th-That's not the problem... I've had the ability to see ghosts ever since I was a kid..."

I sighed. Okay, I was willing to accept jumping across dimensions. I was willing to accept time travel. I was willing to accept that people in this world could have blue hair or purple eyes naturally. I was willing to accept that you could upload your consciousness into a machine and play a therapeutic version of Sword Art Online. I was willing to accept any sci-fi bullshit this world put in front of me. But if you want me to believe for a second that there are ghosts and supernatural elements in my Danganronpa? No thank you. "Whatever. I'm just gonna keep walking. Follow me if you want."

"H-Hey! Wait!"

When we stepped out of the graveyard, we found ourselves standing in a street that looked like a cross between Venice and Candy Land. There was a giant river flowing through, and all the buildings and roads were bright and colourful. That somehow wasn't any less creepy as the graveyard. In the distance, I could see a skyscraper that I guessed was Towa Tower.

We found a man cowering on the corner.

"Um, are you okay?" Komaru asked him.

He looked up. "If my options are "okay" and "not okay"... I'm pretty friggin' far from okay..."

"Yeah, I don't think anyone is these days." I said.

"Maybe. But that don't make me feel any better. Never expected somethin' like this... Been livin' here 10 years..."

"10 years? You're from here?" Komaru asked. "Then do you know why the children are acting like this?"

"Don't have a friggin' clue." He said. "But I know what they done. They... Those kids... They killed my family... and made a diorama with the bodies..." Komaru and I were struck silent. "...Can you imagine it? Seeing your family's bodies nailed to a wall... Necks... fixed into position with a wire... And knowing you just... you have to just hide, and watch them do it... You can't imagine it, can you? That's fine, that's... normal. You shouldn't have to imagine something like that your whole damn life. So why...? Why me? I wish I could be normal again, I wish I hadn't seen it... What did I do!? What did I do to deserve this!?" He started crying into his hands.

Sad and silent, Komaru and I continued onward.

* * *

We found another one of those kids' arcade rooms, and managed to beat their challenge using a hologram machine. Why did Towa have so many stupid inventions? I guess every scientist is prone to eccentric ideas. God knows I've met my fair share of those.

"Hey, the second volume of "The Bomb" series!" Komaru said, excitedly handing me another book. "Yoko Koriyama, the new girl, is so cute!"

I remembered the description of the first book. It was kinda hard to forget, actually. I started reading.

_"Worried about the bomb inside her body that will explode if she "falls in love," Yumi Kayakuda continues to keep her distance from Shota, but even she can't keep her heart from longing for the forceful Shota. Whenever she realizes she is falling in love, she asks Shota to "bully" her to keep the flames of passion away from her bomb. However, one day, while she was getting "bullied" by Shota in the classroom after school as usual... The transfer student Tokeko Koriyama, whose light of life goes dark whenever the feeling of love vanishes, steps in! "If I can't fall in love, I'd rather die!" Beware the carbon dioxide poisoning of life! The 2nd volume of the steamy, torrid love story!_

"Okay. If the first book was an allegory of the female orgasm, this one's an allegory for masochism. Either that, or it's apologetic for abuse."

"Oh c'mon, don't say that. You should at least _try _reading it..." She insisted. "The final date scene from this volume is so good, it's considered a masterpiece of manga history!"

"Hmm. I guess it wouldn't hurt, once I have a bit of free time." I looked around. "Speaking of dates, if there weren't Monokumas and bodies all over this place, I think it'd be a pretty nice spot for one. And if the colours were muted a bit." Man, it was blinding.

"Yeah, it'd be nice for a couple to walk on the shore and eat sweets, hand in hand..." She let out a typical teenage-girl sigh of yearning. "I'd want a date like that for my first time."

"Yeah, maybe once we clean up this city, I could invite..." I paused, then shook my head. "No, work before play."

"Oh, do you have someone you like, Al?" She asked.

"More of an idle admiration, really. For a while now, I've been trying to keep my love for people platonic. Even if I was interested in dating, I doubt anyone would be interested in me, anyway." Wow, it's been a while since I told a self-deprecating joke that wasn't me actually self-deprecating.

"You never know!" She assured me. "For a guy a reliable as you, I'm sure you'll find your other half."

"Are you... giving me relationship advice?" I almost laughed. "How much younger are you than me? I don't think dating is quite the same once you leave high school."

"Well, I used to give love advice on the internet all the time." She explained.

"I thought you just mentioned having a desire for your first date. How can you give advice if you don't have any experience?"

"That doesn't matter!" She said. "Chastity is a virtue!"

I rolled my eyes. "Whatever. My point is, I don't want advice from someone who has just as much experience as me. Besides, I can figure things like that out on my own."

"Wait, so you've never been on a date, either, Al?" She asked. She seemed genuinely shocked.

"I've been busy these last few years. What's your excuse?"

"Well, even though I never actually went on a date, I have been asked out before!" She said defensively.

"And you turned them down?"

"Yeah, 'cause they were all my friends' exes, or like guys older than my dad..."

"I can see that." I said, in a teasing manner. "It kills me to bring up your "normal girl" routine, but you do have one of those faces that the ugly guys like. The kind that makes them think "Yeah, I got a chance with her.""

She stared at the ground. "Well thanks, Al, I'll remember that."

* * *

We arrived at the base of the massive, spiraling skyscraper. "So this is... Towa Tower." Komaru said. "It's amazingly huge once you see it close up."

"Well, skyscrapers usually are." I started walking forward. There seemed to be a few decorations around, and I was checking them all out just to make sure I don't miss something important.

Komaru walked up to one of those cut-outs where you put your face in the spot of the cut-outs'. Suddenly, she jumped back, and I heard a slow voice say "Aw, you found me. I put so much work into this disguise, though." A kid walked out from behind it. He wore an apron, and a weird mask, but it wasn't a Monokuma mask.

"What the hell?" Even in my stunned state, I was able to quickly deduce that this kid was one of the masterminds. It also helped that a bunch of Monokumas started showing up.

The boy started sobbing as we were surrounded. "I am such a coward... So cowardly I have to resort to superior numbers just to beat up a girl... Do you hate me? Eheh, if you say you hate me, I'll turn you into a splendid diorama. As the Li'l Ultimate Art, I'll put every little bit of skill into it."

He was... offering to turn us into a diorama? Before I could even ask Komaru anything about this kid, the Monokumas pounced, and we were stuck in a fight as the boy ran. Shit.

I swung my baton at the two nearest to me, caving both their heads in. Komaru let off a couple of shots. However, their reinforcements quickly arrived.

I gotta hand it to Komaru, though, her strategic work was great. The second a siren Monokuma showed up, she fired a dance at it. It started playing some cool music, attracting all the nearby bears to it, including some bomber Monokumas. Once she shot that down, they took out a large chunk of them. It was quite impressive, considering I couldn't do that much myself. All I could do is smash them.

Once we destroyed them all, with only minimal injury, Komaru was still waving her gun around with adrenaline. "Th-There's no more, right? That's all of them?"

"Yeah, looks like it." I said. "Who was that creepy kid? Was he one of the Warriors of Hope, too?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Hmm. He's probably waiting for us inside, then." I thought for a moment. "Hey, do you think Shirokuma... might've planned this?"

"N-No way! Shirokuma wouldn't do that!" She insisted. I wasn't so sure. I could only make good on my threat to smash it when I was near, so leading me away was the best way to ensure its own security.

"Either way, this is probably the best excuse to turn back." I decided. "It's gonna be dangerous. What do you think we should do?"

"I mean, there's no place to go even if we turn back... And I don't even know what else to do. So if that's the case, the only thing we can do is move forward."

"If you want... I could always continue on alone." I said. "You're not associated with Future Foundation, so Haiji will probably take you in. You could give me the Hacking Gun, and I could continue onward."

"W-Well... I'd feel pretty bad leaving you on your own." She said. "It's like you said earlier, there's strength in numbers, right?"

"Hmph. Alright. If that's how you feel, I'm not gonna argue." I started walking toward the entrance of the tower.

"But... Why do you look like you don't want to do this?"

I took a breath. My sense of dread had returned. It always did. "It's... nothing. Let's just be careful, yeah?"

* * *

We entered the building. Just like every other structure we found, it was lacking upkeep and seemed completely desolate, except for a few stray kids.

"So, this place was a sightseeing spot?" I looked around. My voice echoed throughout the huge room. "It's always the country folk that visit places like this, isn't it? Rural people who are fascinated by glass and steel."

"...That's the kind of remark that will make you a lot of enemies, fast." Komaru warned. "Anyway, we gotta try to communicate from a high place to get above the jamming waves, right? So let's try going all the way to the top. See, if we use that elevator, we should be able to make it to the top in no time, right?"

"I'm surprised you remembered all that. And, yes, that is how elevators work."

She walked up to the elevator and pushed the button to call it. We waited a second. "Huh? It's not moving..."

I noticed a panel off to the side, and inspected it. "A card reader. Seems only employees have access to the elevator."

"I don't have a card..." Komaru said.

I groaned. "So we're gonna have to take the stairs. How many floors even are there?" My legs hurt just thinking about it. Where was Nekomaru when I needed him? Oh, wait, probably killing someone.

"If we climb and take breaks every so often, I'm sure we'll be alright."

As we approached the stairway, I heard a bonking noise, like a pinball machine. A giant black and white ball rolled down the stairs to meet us. It sprouted arms and legs, and laughed at us with a Monokuma face.

Komaru shot it with a Knockback, sending it rolling away. "Well, that was anti-climactic, but it works." I said. "Let's get up those stairs while its distracted."

However, when we climbed them, we found a gate closed over the steps to the third floor. Okay, what the hell would someone do if there was a fire, then? Well, I guess the kids don't care.

"What should we do?" Komaru asked. "We can't move on like this."

"Maybe some of the rubble created another way to get up?" I suggested. I mean, in a game, that's usually what happens. We began exploring the second floor.

* * *

"Spiritual Detective Nekopi and the Ghost of the Dragon Palace." I read. "Nekopi, a high school girl who can see things that cannot be seen by others, receives a strange request. "Please make it so that Master can no longer see the ghosts of fish..." Meanwhile, in the city, a fugitive serial bomber keeps targeting the 4th floor of buildings... And then there's the romance of Tobari Yano! The 4th volume of the Hesitation series that connects the world and the world to come!" I turned to Komaru. "Well, this sounds like something I'd read, but the cover art is kinda putting me off. That aside, didn't you mention you can see ghosts or something?"

She thought about it. "Well, it's not really about seeing, it's more like... I just _know_. Like, I'm feeling a pretty bad aura in this place, so I know ghosts must be around."

Sorry I asked. "Are you sure that's not because, I dunno, there's all this death and destruction and Monokumas around? I mean, you don't really have any evidence that it's ghosts. That's just conjecture."

"No, there was a time, just once... I was able to actually see a ghost!" She insisted. "It was in 3rd grade. I heard a strange sound at night, so I woke up. I turned my head, and then BAM! My teacher from cram school was at my bedside! That's when I knew. It was the living spirit of my old teacher."

"Are you sure it wasn't, like, a burglar you mistook for him in the dark?" I asked.

"No, this spirit knew my name. He kept whispering, Komaru... Komaru... And when he noticed I was awake, he apologized to me and asked me not to tell anybody what I saw. My real teacher would obviously never do something like that, so it must have been his ghost!"

"And did you, uh, ever see him again after that?"

"Well that's the thing! When I went back to school, I found out he mysteriously quit! Spooky, right? My teacher's feelings must have become a living spirit to say goodbye to me before he quit!"

I wondered if she was joking. "Are you sure he wasn't just an old sex offender who quit his job because he was afraid of you tattling on him?"

She giggled. "No way, Al. You shouldn't even joke about that." Then I wondered if she was just repressing the idea so her childlike mind wouldn't be traumatized. Yeah, that's probably it.

"Yeah, well, I'm sorry." I said. "Sorry that I even bothered arguing this point."

* * *

After more Monkumas, more climbing, more of those annoying children's challenges, I was getting pretty goddamn exhausted. Komaru and I approached the stars to the who-the-hell-cares-what-number floor. I heard a sound like... typing.

As we reached the top, I noticed the outline of a man, silhouetted by the light of a laptop screen. When Komaru took a step toward him, he suddenly turned toward us sharply. "Ah, who's there!?"

Komaru and I both instinctively jumped back at the sudden movement. She knocked into me, pushing me down the stairs. Ouch, ah, shit, oof, fuck, oh god, why me? When I hit the bottom, I slowly rose and made my way back up, cursing Komaru out as I did so. The man stood and turned toward her. "Huh? Wait a sec, you're not a... kid, right?"

"Y-Yeah..."

When he noticed the gun in her hands, he jumped. "Ah! Don't shoot! I swear I won't hurt you guys!"

At that moment, I met back with them at the top. "Don't worry, Komaru did that for you. So, what are you doing in a place like this?"

He calmed slightly. "I was hiding. I figured the kids wouldn't find me here."

"...And what's with the laptop?" Komaru asked.

"Oh, this? I picked it up at the city's electronics store." He explained. "I thought I might be able to remove the wristband using this, so I was trying to program something."

Program, huh? I knew this guy looked familiar, but the dim light made it kinda hard to tell. But that confirmed it. Looks like I've found yet another person I have to try and protect with my life. Here's hoping it won't end the same way as most of the people I've tried protecting.

Komaru, however, was more surprised by his other statement. "W-Wait! Did you say "wristband"!?"

"Huh? Yeah, this." He held up his hand, revealing an identical wristband to all the others. "I got captured by this weird-looking group of five kids, and they put this on me... I tried to remove it, but as you can see, that didn't work too well."

"I knew it!" Komaru said. "I'm the same, see!?" She held up her's.

"Ah, that wristband! Then... You were also put into this cruel game. I see... I'm sorry..."

"Hey man, you didn't put it on her." I said. "Now's not the time for a pity-party."

"But if I had just figured out how to get this off, I could have helped you, too... Did you know? With this wristband on, you can't leave the city. So as long as we can't remove this wristband, we can't be saved..."

"It's going to be alright!" Komaru insisted. "We'll be saved!"

"...Wh-What makes you say that?"

"We're going to ask Future Foundation for help removing the bands. We came here to call them."

"U-Um... What do you mean?" He asked.

"O-Oh, you want the details?" Komaru fumbled for a second. "Um, there's a special radio all over the city, that's raspberry, and we use this... thing..."

"Are you fucking serious?" I asked.

"Oh! The jammer?" Realization dawned in his eyes. "If we get to the top of this tower, we might be able to get through!"

"You actually got all that?" Okay, so maybe he was used to explaining things to people in simple details. I found myself trying not to laugh at the idea of a younger Chihiro learning about raspberry jammers.

He gave a light chuckle. "But, all the way up the stairs... That's impossible..."

"I know, but the elevator won't move." Komaru explained. "We don't have a card..."

"A card? The elevator security card?"

"Do you have it!?"

"Ah, sorry... It's not that... No I... I can't really speak freely, uh... Well, maybe..."

"We don't have all day, dude." I said as respectfully as possible.

"If you want to move the elevator... I... Well, I might be able to do it..."

"R-Really?" Komaru asked.

"I've worked security before, so I figured I might be able to get around that card reader... But... There's no way you'd believe someone you just met. I mean, I'm saying all this, but I can't even figure out how to get this stupid wristband off..."

"Don't underestimate my stupidity." I warned. "Or my laziness. If you think you can get that thing working, I'm willing to risk it."

"Please, we need your help!" Komaru begged. "I beg you, please, help us, Mister!"

"...Huh?" He seemed surprised at our insistence. "W-Well... okay. I'll try."

"Yes! Thank you so much!" Komaru said.

"Good, now that we have our alliances sorted out, let's get moving." I said. "We've got some backtracking to do."

"Well, it's better than needlessly climbing more stairs, right?" Komaru offered. "Let's do our best, okay?"

"I don't need you to encourage me." I brushed her off and got moving.

"Haha... You guys get along well." The man said with no hint of sarcasm.

"Yeah, sure, whatever makes you happy." I said. "By the way, I'm Albert Wright. Everyone just calls me Al."

"And I'm Komaru Naegi."

"Oh, I completely forgot to introduce myself. I'm Taichi Fujisaki. I hope we can get along."

* * *

**Skipping over Jataro's introduction feels somewhat fitting to me. You know, because his whole thing is making other people hate him. But right now, Albert doesn't even know who he is. Yeah. Don't worry, though, Al will get a chance to hate all of these kids. Still can't wait for Monaca.**

**Also, Taichi exists. Just like with Yuta, three's a crowd, so the guy will not be sticking with us too long. Though, I have something a little different in mind for him... But until then, I'm sure he can make himself useful, just like his son.**

**In the next chapter, our heroes will try to get the elevator working.**


	7. Chapter 6

**Alright, it's time to bring Chapter 2 of the game to a close.**

**We've finally arrived at Towa Tower, and we even found Chihiro's dad! So, how could anything ruin such a wonderful trip to this tourist attraction? Well, we'll see.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

**Living On A Prayer**

Komaru, Taichi, and I made our way back down the stairs to the first floor. It was a much simpler trip, actually, since there were bomber Monokumas that Komaru utilized to clear the way that was previously blocked.

"That's an amazing gun..." Taichi marveled. "I've never seen technology like that before."

"That's what Future Foundation's good at." I turned to him. "You said you're a programmer, right? Maybe I could convince the software designer for that thing to give you some tips."

We paused when we passed by another body. "What a horrible fate..." He said. "It really makes you feel the despair..."

"Yeah." I agreed. "The only thing we can do is stop these kids. Make sure as few people as possible have to suffer this fate."

Eventually, one of the bodies we came across had a note. I stopped to read it.

_It's not an exaggeration to say that my entire life up until now has been for the sake of Towa City. I admired Towa City's tech sector and dreamed of working in this town, and I've lived my whole life for that dream. And finally, finally my dream comes true, and this is what happens. Why did it have to be here of all places? Why did it have to be now!? Is the world doing this out of spite!? I was supposed to test my skills in this city, but instead I'm running for my life. I wish I could take it back. I want my dream back._

Taichi sighed, rubbing his head. "After everything... it just had to be here. Out of everywhere on Earth, it had to be Towa to end up like this."

I thought about it. "Y'know, people always say things like "why'd it have to be here," but none of them realize that, even if it happened elsewhere, there would still be victims. People would still suffer. I guess, for most people, it's easier to wish pain on others than accept it yourself."

Komaru turned to the man. "Did you especially like Towa, or something?"

"It's not quite that... Didn't I tell you? I used to work in security." He explained. "Well, I say security... What I actually did was architect security system programs. For someone like me, this place was truly something special."

"Something special?" She repeated.

He nodded. "Towa City leads the world's technology industry in both complexity and scale. There are tons of engineers out there who come to Towa City to test their skills."

"Basically, if it's electronic, Towa's done it, and did it to death." I said. "I'm pretty sure the air purifyers that solved the world's toxic atmosphere issues were developed by Towa Group."

"Also, Towa Groups built advanced weaponry and shelters to fight against despair. So Towa City is special for that reason, too. But, that's something I just learned recently."

"If this city is so advanced, why isn't there a giant defense robot to fend off the Monokumas?" Komaru asked.

"Wow, I think you really have read too many manga. They've rotted your brain." I snarked.

"Um... I'm sure that any kind of weaponry was stolen and destroyed when all this first started." Taichi explained, trying not to crush her dreams.

"Then nothing's changed." She decided. "We gotta contact Future Foundation, no matter what!"

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." I said with a smirk. "But she raises a good point. Nothing's getting solved standing here. Let's get a move on."

* * *

Taichi stood in front of the card reader, laptop handy. "Hm, as expected of Towa City. They're using the newest security systems out there. This is gonna be tough..."

"But... you can do it, right?" Komaru asked.

He turned to her, and hesitantly nodded. "Y-Yeah. I'll do my best."

"You don't sound too sure." I noted.

"Ha, yeah, I guess that's true... My family used to think I was pretty unreliable too..." Ouch. Chihiro, your dad is self-conscious because of you, man. What the hell?

"Family, huh..." Komaru muttered. Ouch #2. I haven't seen my family since god-knows-when.

"C'mon, you two. I might study psychology, but I'm not licensed to treat depression. Taichi, just do what you can, dude."

"Y-You're right." He shook his head, and calmed himself down. "Alright, I'll try."

"Okay, I leave it to you." Komaru said.

He hooked up the laptop to the panel and started typing away. Codes appeared on the screen at lightning speed. It was all Greek to me. Still, I watched just to make sure nothing horrible happened. About a minute later, Komaru asked "So... how's it coming?"

"Yeah, well..." He started awkwardly. "It might take a little while, but... with this, I might be able to do it, somehow."

"Don't worry, no need to rush." She said. "Nothing really dangerous is happening right... now..." As she was saying that last line, a junk Monokuma jumped from the ceiling and landed right next to us. Then two more followed. Komaru, now panicked, turned to him again. "Are you done yet? Please hurry!"

"H-Hold on! I barely got started!"

"Komaru, I'm blaming this on you." I said. "I don't know how, but you somehow summoned these by saying everything is fine. You really need to learn to keep that trap shut."

"Wh-What do we do?"

I switched my baton on. "I'll take the one in the middle. You think you can use some Knockback to hold off the other two?"

"Y-Yeah..."

I ran up to my target, and started banging on its face. Like last time, that didn't really do much. It swiped at me with its disjointed claws. Anticipating it, I dodged.

Suddenly, the thing jumped back, spinning through the air. It looked so awkward, it couldn't have been a move it was designed with. I looked back, and Komaru had her gun pointed my way. "Thanks, I guess." I ran after the Knockbacked Monokuma.

Before it could jump up, I pressed my foot on its... chest, I guess. It clawed at my leg, but I stabbed at its eye. I eventually managed to break through and destroy its hard-drive.

Komaru and I repeated this process for the other two. Once all three were defeated, Komaru asked "That was the last one, right?" She looked around, unsure.

"I'm almost done on my end, too." Taichi said. He pressed the enter key, and the elevator started moving down to our floor. He let out a sigh of relief.

"Yay, it totally worked!" Komaru cheered. "Al, all we gotta do now is use the elevator to go all the way to the top, right?"

"That's right." I went over and leaned against the panel, trying to calm myself after that battle.

"Before we go any further, I really need to thank you guys." Taichi said. "Thanks to you two, I'm finally starting to see hope. If the connection works well, I'm sure Future Foundation will come to us immediately. And when that happens, we're saved, we're finally saved! We should even be able to see our families again! It's gonna be alright! Just a little bit more! Let's keep it up and-!"

Suddenly, the elevator opened, and a new type of Monokuma burst out, burying its fangs into Taichi's torso. He fell to the floor, screaming, as the bear bit at him, drawing blood. Lots of it.

"No!" I swung my baton. It wasn't even switched on, I just reacted from instinct. It at least pushed the bear off of him. But there was a second one in the elevator, that jumped at me before I could properly turn on my weapon.

I would've suffered the same fate as Taichi if Komaru wasn't there. She shot at the beast. It somehow managed to dodge radio waves, yeah, tell me how that works, but it gave me enough opportunity to get to my feet. If the hacking gun wasn't going to work, I was gonna have to break these toys.

They moved like wild animals, moving on instinct. Instinct didn't work against intellect. Unfortunately, I wasn't very intelligent, and even if I was, it wasn't really going to help here. I'm just trying to psych myself up at this point.

The first one leapt, and I swung, smashing its head in. The second one came up to my side, biting my arm, causing me to drop my baton. I started punching it, to no effect. However, while it was distracted with me, Komaru shot it a couple times, causing it to break. I managed to kick it off of me before it exploded.

Komaru and I made our way over to Taichi, laying in a pool of his own blood. "I-I'm sorry, it's just as I thought..." He managed to cough out. "I really am unreliable... I... I didn't mean to make you guys go it alone... B-But you guys will be fine! No need to worry, you'll be saved for sure! I'm glad I could... at least be a little help to you guys..."

"No..." I said. I pulled out my first-aid kit. "Not like this. We've already lost too much. Komaru, help me open his shirt."

His eyes widened as we opened his button up. "I-I don't want to... to be a burden..."

"Doesn't matter." I said. "It was my choice to come to Towa City to save people, and I'm going to do it. I'm no expert, but I've dealt with injuries like this before. Maybe worse." I inspected his wounds, and it didn't seem like anything vital was hit. Well, if they were, he wouldn't be talking right now. Still, the Monokuma fangs weren't too deep. I think their main weapon is their own strength, ripping out chunks of you, which they obviously didn't get the chance to do to us. Taichi's biggest danger this moment was bleeding out. I put some pressure near the wounds. "Try to relax. Take deep breaths. Think peaceful thoughts. Slow your heart-rate. It'll give me more time to work." I disinfected him and got to work with stitches.

He tried to do as I said. A moment later, he started speaking "I have a child, y'know... You guys are all around the same age... But we got separated, and... A-And all this time, I couldn't do anything... I... I wasn't able to see... Just one last time... That's my only regret..."

"You'll find him." I assured him. Stress wasn't good for relaxation, but neither was excitement, so I couldn't quite tell him "Hey, you're child is totally alive, I've met him." Instead, I simply assured him. "Once we make it out of this god-forsaken city, we'll find him. And everyone else."

"You sound so sure..." He said weakly. But he seemed calmer now. "Do you have any family, Al?"

"I... lost my family a while ago. They're gone." I explained. It was technically true.

"And yet you're so young... how did you manage to move on?"

Personal question, but I answered. "Hope played a part. I eventually managed to find a new family, among my friends." I finally applied the last stitch. It was kinda messy, but hopefully it would hold. I pulled out the bandages. "Now I dedicate myself to making sure others can see their loved ones. I know what it's like to never see your family again. I won't subject your son to the same thing."

He gave a weak, but natural smile. "I just... I need to make sure my wife and child are okay. I can't die until I do that. As a husband... as a father... I haven't done my job yet."

There was silence as I worked. Taichi breathed, I tightened the bandages around his chest, and Komaru watched. We were all silent until I was finally done.

I checked my watch, which was now stained with both Taichi's and Yuta's blood. "We'll wait a couple of minutes for you to get your strength back. It'll still take less time than it would have trying to climb the whole tower, anyway. How're you feeling?"

"I'd be lying if I said I was feeling okay..." He said. "Thank you for... not leaving me. Even if this just ends up extending my life by a few hours... Thank you."

"Hey, man, it's my job." I said. "Not just because I'm Future Foundation, but me personally. I wanna give hope to those who need it."

"Will he be okay?" Komaru finally asked.

"Should be. I'm not an expert, but I did my best, and I followed standard procedure." I said. "In the worst case, the Monokuma could've cause internal bleeding, which I wouldn't be able to fix, either way."

"Not very good bedside manner." He muttered.

"Hey, blame Komaru, she asked. Besides, if the bleeding was that bad, you'd have died already. So as long as you don't strain yourself, your body might be able to fix itself, given time." Suddenly, I was aware of a pain in my right arm. Right, the Monokuma bit me during the fight. "Shit. I hope you don't have AIDS, and I hope you don't mind having mingled your blood with mine. Let me get to work on this thing." Why was it always my right arm getting injured. I mean, it's better than my left, but I'd prefer to not have all my damage focused in one spot.

As I got to work patching up my own arm, Taichi was thinking, before asking "Hey, Al?"

"Yeah?"

"How did you know... my child was a boy?" He asked. "I don't think I ever told you that."

Huh, whoops. Didn't think that through. More shenanigans caused by Chihiro's gender. "Heh, I wasn't quite sure how to break it to you, but... I know because I've met him. I've met Chihiro Fujisaki. He's my best friend."

He was silent in shock for a few seconds, before finally asking "Is he...?"

"He's okay. He's perfectly fine." I assured him. "He's waiting for me back at the HQ. That's another reason I can't let you die. He'd never forgive me if I did."

Komaru smiled. "That's amazing! I mean, what are the chances? Mr. Fujisaki, you're gonna see your child again!"

With a sudden resolve, Taichi slowly managed to pull himself into a sitting position. "What are we waiting for? Maybe I can see him if... If we can get a connection working."

"Maybe." I admitted. "But don't strain yourself, or you'll be dead before we get there." I pulled the stitched shut on my own wound.

"Come on." He insisted. "Let's go. As long as Future Foundation comes, we and everyone else... are going to be saved.

* * *

We all loaded onto the elevator, and it began it's smooth ascent through the tower. Taichi leaned against me to conserve his strength. I glanced at him. Something didn't sit right with me. Despite both their injuries, I was able to save both Yuta and Taichi. My medical skills were average at best.

Call me a skeptic and a cynic, but usually, when something good happened to me, something just as bad was soon to follow. When I take an inch, the universe takes a mile. And yeah, a lot of bad shit has happened to me through the last couple years, so you might think that maybe I've earned a lucky break or two. But that's not how this shit works. The fact that six of my friends are still alive is enough for life itself to torment me. Okay, now I'm starting to sound a little edgy. But the point is, it was high time for the me to pay my debts. That usually involved other people getting screwed in the process.

As if on cue, about halfway through our ride, the elevator slammed to a stop.

"Wh-!? What!?" Komaru shouted.

"Shit. We're stopped." I pointed out.

She ran over to the buttons and slammed the button to the top floor a few times. When there was no response, she turned back toward us. "Why!? Why here!?"

"It's definitely sketchy. I don't like it. Let's force open the door, just to see where we are." I suggested.

"Y-Yeah!"

We wrenched our fingers between both sides of the elevator door, and managed to pull it open. The room we found ourselves in was probably the last place I wanted to be.

It was another arena, just like the one we fought Masaru in. Instead of sand, the floor was solid concrete. Behind the audience, there were giant glass windows viewing the outside. Standing on the raised stage was the kid with the creepy mask from earlier. In his same slow voice, he spoke "Um, hey. Why'd you guys run here? Did you think you could escape if you went somewhere reaaal high up? But... No matter where you run, it's pointless... The more you run from me, the closer you get. Cuz... the world is rooound, right?" If there was one bonus of being in the Danganronpa universe, it's that I haven't met any flat-earthers yet.

"Taichi, stay in the elevator." I demanded. I wasn't having a repeat of Yuta. Komaru and I entered the arena. "So, you were waiting for us."

"So? How'd it feel to have someone waiting for you? Were you grossed out? Or, or maybe... Do you hate me even more now?"

"Kid, I don't even know your name." I said.

"Huh, you have to know what something's called to hate it? That's a weird trait for a Demon to have. Well, if it helps... I'm the Priest, Jataro Kemuri. AKA, Li'l Ultimate Art. But I'll warn you now... Don't say my name out loud. It's a curse."

"Well, there we go. Now I hate you, I guess." If that's what he wants.

"No, that's a lie." He said. "When adults look at things they truly hate... Their eyes are not weak like that. I know it. I've seen those eyes since the day I was born."

"So that's what the mask is for? You hide your face out of trauma? It can't look _that _bad, can it?"

"N-No, you can't see!" He suddenly shouted. "Anything but that! If you see my face, your eyeballs are gonna rot off!"

"What? That doesn't even make any sense." I said.

"No, you're wrong!" He insisted. "It's the truth! They're really gonna burn right off! I-If they don't, then... Then why did she force me to wear this mask? Why was I forced to wear this stuffy mask every single day!?"

Okay. Masaru dealt with physical abuse. Jataro's problem was more emotional in nature. Likely verbal abuse and neglect. Is this going to be, like, a theme with these kids? I guess it makes sense, what other reason would a bunch of kids have to kill adults than if the adults made their lives hell.

"I'm just that horrible... I'm just so ugly and hated... More than anyone else on Earth." He continued. "I bet my head just got really twisted cuz the doctor pulled too hard when I was born... And then, my skin pores got all crushed, and my hair got ripped, and my face got pulled... And my ears are just barely sticking to my face, like meatloaf thrown onto a wall... And my lips are inside-out, and my gums are dry and rotten and brown... And my nose is just a shriveled little lump of meat... It must be horrible! That's why she was ashamed to show me to people! "You don't look like other kids." That must be what she was talking about... If you see such an awful face, your eyeballs are gonna get crushed and you'll faint! So that's why I'm _not _wrong! I'm totally, totally right!"

"Jesus, okay, I get it." Well, arguing with him isn't going to fix anything. If whoever raised him drove him to believe he's ugly, a short conversation isn't gonna fix that. He needs an actual therapist. "So, all you want is revenge against the adults, right?"

"...Huh? Oh. Oooh. Oh, I see, you're just mistaken... It's not something cheap and silly like that. We just want to change the world, that's all. Well, you don't really hafta understand. Demons aren't needed in our world, anyway. It's fine, fine, f-f-f-fine! We're going to make a kids-only paradise!" He waved his sleeve-covered hands to the crowd, like Masaru did when expecting a cheer. Instead, the kids in the audience started booing him. "...Huh? Why are you all booing?"

"...Unforgivable..." Komaru muttered. "No matter what kind of reason you have, whether you're an adult or a child..." She stepped forward, tears streaming from her eyes. "You _killed _people. So many people... Like it was nothing. And I'll never forgive that... ever!"

"That's it!" Jataro said excitedly. "Those are the eyes I was talking about! The eyes that just scream "hatred!" Ehehe, Big Sis... Looks like you're finally disgusted with me for real... But I dunno about what you said, comparing likes and dislikes and good and evil. I mean... We're trying to bring peace to the world, y'know? That's why there's nothing wrong with us. No matter how much you hate us, we aren't wrong!"

"What... are you...? You kill people and laugh about it, and say that you aren't the ones in the wrong!? Unforgivable!"

"That's right." I said. "No matter what kind of righteous quest you think you're on, murder is murder. Peace built on a pile of corpses can't succeed, and can't last. You're delusional." As I said that, a round of cheers exploded from the crowd.

Jataro took a step back. "Huh? Whyyy? Why are you all cheering for the enemy? Oh. I guess it's that... I'm even hated by the kids, too..." Another round of boos. "See? They hate me, they really hate me... Ehe... I'm so happy. If I'm hated this much, then there's no point in faking friendships and trying to be liked... I'm free... to do anything I want."

Someone in the crowd tossed him a controller identical to the one Masaru had. He turned it on and shifted the controls. Suddenly, a giant robot flew through one of the windows above the audience, sending glass shards everywhere. What landed in front of us was... well, a robot crossed with a priest. A loudspeaker announced its entrance.

**"Priest Robot Doctor Von Gerolt!"**

"Before your bodies become pretty objects, let me tell you one more time: No matter how much we're hated, no matter how much we're shunned, we're definitely not wrong. That's the real truth. Because... Big Sis Junko said so."

"B-Big Sis... Junko...!?" I repeated. That couldn't be a coincidence. It just couldn't be. Why? Why did it always have to lead back to her? God, she's a magnet for trouble. Since I'm caught up in this mess, I guess I am, too. So what part did she play in all this?

"Big Sis Junko, the only one who loved me, only one different than other people. Big Sis Junko, the one who gave us our sparkly hope. Those adults... took her away from us and said that she was the bad one! They're the filthy ones, they're the ugly ones, they're the disgusting ones!" He shifted the controls, and Von Gerolt jet-packed into the air.

It fired missiles at us. We both jumped out of the way. The priest robot flew around the arena, dropping bombs all over the place. We ran like mice.

"First giants drills, now bombs? Of course the Priest would have bombs. God damn these religious extremists." I laughed bitterly at my own dark joke before stopping short, a bomb nearly landing on me. I backed up as quick as I could, but the explosion sent me tumbling across the arena. Why was it always me?

I looked up, and saw a bomb land near Komaru. In desperation, she shot a Knockback bullet into it. It flew into the robot, knocking it over and causing its, uh, bishop-hat-thing to fall off its head, revealing a Monokuma face just like the one Mark Guyver had.

"That's it!" I ran over and started smashing it on the head. I also stood to the side slightly to give Komaru a clear shot. Between the two of us, we managed to destroy the covering, revealing a big blinking red light underneath. I prepared to strike, but the good Doctor suddenly rose into the air, jet-packing across the arena, tackling me and knocking me on my ass. And, the flames from the jet-pack caught the end of my lab coat.

"Shit, shit!" I threw it off and started stamping out the flames. Luckily, they didn't rise up to the pockets, so the laptop and first-aid kit were fine. The children laughed at my spectacle, but then started booing Jataro.

Gritting his teeth, the Priest called out "Ultimate attack! Mass Murder Bomb Punishment!" And Doctor Von Gerolt launched a bunch of bombs all over the arena. Unfortunately for Jataro, Komaru had Knockback ready.

When the robot fell over again, I was ready. I took my baton and stabbed it into the red button. Then I stabbed it again for good measure. Then I pulled out my weapon and ran like hell. It looked like it was gonna blow at any second.

Right before it did, however, the good Doctor raised an arm and shot a missile. It spiraled through the air toward us. I dived to the ground to avoid it. It swerved over to Komaru, who was now to my right. Before it hit her, it spun in the air and started spiraling back toward Doctor Von Gerolt, who exploded into a bright and beautiful flame.

Jataro stared down at his dismantled weapon in utter shock. However, he didn't have long to grieve. Just like with Masaru, once the dust settled, the Monokuma kids were clearly gathered behind him. They pulled him into the crowd, kicking and screaming. The kids reached for any part of him they could grab onto, some even grabbing his mask. Slowly, the thick patchwork tore open, revealing...

A boy with a delicate, adorable face. Serenely, he took a deep breath, as if his head had not had a chance to breath in years. However, his freedom was quickly cut short when he was pulled back into the crowd. The last we saw was his terrified expression as he was dragged off.

"Well, they're fighting again." I pointed out. "Looks like I wasn't wrong in assuming that's the punishment."

"...Serves him right." Komaru said.

My eyes widened for a moment. That was pretty harsh, for her. Still, I shrugged. "Yeah, well, he certainly didn't earn any sympathy from me. Let's go. We don't have time to waste."

* * *

During the elevator ride up to the top, the mood was serious. After what we witnessed, none of us were particularly chatty. I assume Taichi could hear Jataro's speech, even from outside the arena, since even he wasn't talking.

"You okay, man?" I eventually asked.

Hesitantly, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just... I can't believe a parent would do that to their own child..." Forcing them to hide there face? Treating them like there was something wrong with them? Yeah... Pretty fucked up.

"Well, parents are people." I said. "Some people are good, and they respect their fellow man, and teach their children to do the same. Some are assholes, and don't hold any empathy for those around them, not even their own spawn."

Taichi nodded. "It's just... no matter what, your child is your responsibility. No matter what they look like, you can't just..." He trailed off.

"You're thinking of your own child, aren't you?" Komaru asked.

"I'm always thinking of Chihiro. That's what a parent does." He said.

"Do you know..." I paused, then continued. "...why he started cross-dressing?" At the term, Komaru looked up, with a curious expression. I didn't bother explaining.

Taichi shook his head. "He never told me. When he started junior-high, he asked me if he could get a girl's uniform. He seemed embarrassed to even ask it, so I didn't want to ask him anything that would make him uncomfortable. All I know is, for a while after that, he wanted to be called a girl. I'm guessing that stopped when you met him?"

I nodded. "I managed to... play psychologist, I guess. He told me that the reason was because he was being bullied. He pretended to be a girl so no one would tease him for not being very strong."

His eyes widened. "I didn't know... Why didn't he tell me? I could've helped him..."

"Hey, it's all cool now." I assured him. "He's learned a lot since you last saw him. Most importantly, he's got a bunch of friends who don't care what he looks like. Despite all the horrible things that have been happening, I think he's doing better now than he ever was before."

The man eyed me for a moment. "Al, thank you... for looking out for my child."

"Don't thank me yet. I've still gotta deliver you to him, don't I?"

A few seconds later, the elevator finally stopped and opened up. We were in a very high-quality lounge area, with massive windows showing the cityscape. An excellent spot for tourism.

Komaru stepped out the elevator first. "Looks like the observation deck... We're at the top."

"Great." I produced the laptop from my coat.

"All we gotta do now is use this wireless device that Shirokuma gave us..." She said.

As Taichi and Komaru set up the laptop on a nearby table, I was lost in thought. The sense of dread I've been feeling this whole time hasn't gone away yet. Which makes sense, since nothing bad really happened during that fight like I was expecting it to. In fact, was it just the fact that nobody got their legs cut off, or did it feel like that fight was a little too easy compared to Masaru's? Was that yet another bit of luck I'd have to pay back, or was Jataro just not as skilled at controlling robots? And if that wasn't the part I was dreading, what was? I could feel it scratching at the back of my mind. A possibility I might have missed. A possibility I might be ignoring...

"Al?" Taichi's voice cut me off my train of thought. "You know the code and password, right?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah." I walked over and carefully typed each one in, then hit the enter key. It started connecting. I lead Taichi over to a chair so he could relax, while Komaru stared at the screen.

"Hello?" She said after a few seconds. "Can you hear me? Someone, please respond!... Can you hear me!?" Another few seconds of silence passed. She leaned against the table. "Hey, answer me! Can anyone hear me!? I beg you, please, answer me!" When that didn't work, she started sobbing.

Was all of our work getting here pointless? No, c'mon, it has to work. It just has to...

"He-o?" A choppy voice on the laptop suddenly cried out. "This is- Foundation. This is Future Foundation." I'd recognize that voice anywhere.

"Hello?" Komaru called. "Can you hear me?"

"We ca- hear you." He responded. "Loud and clear! This is Future Foundation. Branch #- Branch #14. Makoto Naegi."

As the image cleared up, Komaru leaned into the screen. "M-Makoto!?"

His eyes widened, and he leaned toward his own screen himself. "K-Komaru!?"

* * *

**So, in the last chapter, when I said I had something a little different in mind for Taichi, I meant he was going to live, exactly like Yuta. To be fair, he didn't fall unconscious like him. If you find it contrived that Albert was able to save him, recall that it was actually implied that Taichi survived in game, too. When you arrive back at the lobby in Chapter 3, his body is missing with a note that implies he was going to find his wife and child. So, if he survived there, I think his chances of survival would actually go up if Albert was able to treat him with a first-aid kit.**

**Also, we're gonna get to speak to the Future Foundation, and Albert will get to give a report to Makoto. That's really it, I guess.**

**In the next chapter, we'll do just that.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Alright, here we are. In this chapter, our heroes talk with Makoto, and everything goes wrong.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Reunion**

Komaru stared at the screen, still in disbelief. "M-Makoto!?"

"Komaru... is that really you?"

"I knew it, you're... You're Makoto, right!? Mister Makoto Naegi, right!?" Mister? Sure, whatever.

"You're safe... I'm so relieved, I was worried this whole time..."

"Same here..." She admitted. "I wish I knew you were alright. I mean, I thought you had already died..." She started crying. "Oooh Makotooo! I'm so glad you're alive!"

"I'm glad too, Komaru." I heard Makoto choke up on the other end. "I thought... I'd never see you again... But I'm relieved to find out you're safe."

"Y-Yeah..." Komaru wiped her eyes. "Hey... What about Dad and Mom? Are they with you?"

"Huh? I see... Then you don't know, either. I was hoping you would..."

"Then... you don't know either!? B-But..."

"I-It's gonna be alright! Don't worry! I'm sure they're just fine, wherever they are!"

"But... you have no proof of that... They could be..."

"There's no proof they're _not _okay either. So let's just believe in hope for now." Ah, hope. Makoto's secret weapon.

"Y-Yeah, if you say so..."

"Yeah, that's it."

She laughed to herself. "Heh, it's funny... I never thought I'd hear you say something like that."

"R-Really? Well, being positive is like... my only good point." Heh, he's so modest. "But more importantly, where are you right now!? What's going on over there?"

"I'm at a building called Towa Tower. I was told I could use the communication device here..." Please don't say anything about raspberry jammers. "Wait, that reminds me... Why are _you _answering?"

"Wh-What do you mean by that?" He asked.

"I mean, I called Future Foundation! Why are you the one who responded?"

"You... You really don't know?"

"Don't know? About what?"

"I'm with Future Foundation. Branch 14, that's my division."

Suddenly, Komaru turned toward me. "Al... is this true?"

Before I could respond, Makoto asked "Al...? Wait, what? Al is there with you!?"

I walked up so that I was in view of the webcam. "Hey, Makoto. Long time no see. Reporting in from Towa Tower."

"Al, you disappeared! Everyone was so worried about you!" He said.

"Yeah, I'm sure they'd hate to lose my archive of precious knowledge." I snarked, though I knew he was probably talking about my friends more than the higher-ups. "Besides, you know me. Never a dull moment. I couldn't sit by while Byakuya and your sister got themselves in trouble."

"So you left without orders..." He sighed. "Well, I figured that was pretty much what happened."

"W-Wait, hold on! You two know each other!?" Komaru asked. "That's why Al knew about me from the beginning?" Well, that's not the main reason, but... yeah, let's go with that.

"Yeah, he... didn't tell you that?" Makoto asked.

"Didn't I? I could've sworn I did..." Huh, maybe Makoto is more forgettable than I thought. Or maybe it's just because with all the bullshit going on, I couldn't get a word in edgewise.

"No! You very much didn't!" Komaru said.

"Yeah, that sounds like Al." Makoto sighed again. Hey, it's not like I wanted to keep secrets from everyone. It's just the best way to get things done sometimes. "Anyway, I'm glad you two are together. So, where is Byakuya?"

"Good fucking question." I rubbed my temple. "He's still captured. I was hoping to locate him after I got Komaru to safety, but that's been a job and a half itself."

"Just as I thought. Future Foundation's intel said as much." He rubbed his chin. "I just couldn't believe it. I mean, Byakuya? Captured!?"

"Yeah, it doesn't seem like him." I agreed. "It's likely he was taken by surprise, but obviously, I can't prove that."

"Sounds like the situation is pretty serious." He said.

"You don't know the half of it. It's times like these I wish I had some sort of useful talent. Right now, anything would help better than being almost-Ultimate Psychologist."

"Ultimate...?" Komaru repeated. Taichi, who still sat off to the side, looked up, too.

"Oh yeah, Byakuya, Al and I were all classmates at Hope's Peak Academy... Wait... You... You didn't know _that_, either?" Makoto turned to me with an expression that said _What the hell man?_

"...No, I didn't." Komaru gave me a similar look.

I raised my hands defensively. "Okay, I'll be the first to admit that I _may _have left out a couple of important details. But, hey, why don't we let Makoto explain it. With the two of us here, I'm sure we could explain it in great detail, right?"

"I don't really know where to start..." Makoto said. "We weren't just regular "classmates"... We were trapped inside Hope's Peak Academy during The Tragedy... We were forced... to kill each other. Our classmates."

"K-Kill!?" Komaru repeated.

"A lot of our classmates ended up killing each other. Right in front of our eyes." He said. "Even after all this time, the memory... the despair... I can still feel it."

"It wasn't just... some movie, or game?" Komaru said.

"I wish." I said. "No, it wasn't a game. It was reality. It actually happened. And it was all broadcasted live, as part of The Tragedy."

"The mastermind behind it all wanted to spread despair throughout the world. They wanted to show the whole world... the students of Hope's Peak Academy, the symbols of hope, falling to despair and death."

Komaru and Taichi were silent for a long time. Finally, Komaru said "B-But wait, you two are still alive, so..."

"Yeah, we were able to defeat the mastermind who planned the killing game and survive." Makoto said. "...Of course, we couldn't save everybody... And after that, we left Hope's Peak Academy and went into the outside world. But... outside, it was more horrifying than we expected. It was easy to get discouraged. But by supporting each other, the friends who survived Hell together... we moved forward. Soon we came under Future Foundation protection. We chose to lend ourselves to the cause. To fight against the Remnants of Despair, who are still trying to spread despair throughout the world. Right, Al?"

"Yeah... it was probably the lowest point in my life. But my friends gave me a reason to keep going. A reason to live. Makoto, Hina, Byakuya, Celeste, Chihiro, and Kyoko. It's thanks to them I didn't give up."

"I see... I didn't know about that at all." Komaru admitted. "I never thought something like that was going on... But... you guys are so amazing. I gave up immediately, but you guys... You guys fought and confronted the problem... I guess that's why you've changed."

"No, not really..." Makoto said. "I was always being saved by everyone else..."

"That sounds like Makoto." I echoed. "Your brother was so hyped about being called the Ultimate Hope. He was dragging us all over the place, eager to find out how we could help in any way."

"H-Hey! I wouldn't say I was "hyped" about it..."

"I would. And you don't deny any of those other parts?"

"Jeez, take it easy on me..."

"Makoto... you've definitely changed." Komaru decided.

"You too, Komaru? What do you mean? I haven't changed a bit..."

"No, really. You really changed. Might be weird for your little sister to say this, but you seem more mature now. Just from this conversation I can tell you're more reliable than you used to be."

"Well... I don't really think so, though." He insisted.

"But me... I haven't changed at all, not since my imprisonment..."

At the mention of imprisonment, Makoto suddenly got awkward. "...Listen, about that. There's something I need to apologize for."

"Huh? Apologize?"

"The reason you were imprisoned there... It's because of us. If we weren't chosen by the mastermind, you wouldn't have ended up like this."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"You aren't the only prisoner in Towa." Makoto revealed. "With you is everyone who was relevant to our classmates. In order to make us commit murder... The mastermind abducted people relevant to us and tried to use them as a motive. We managed to stop it before it got that far, but the theme was Killing Among Loved Ones... The mastermind was going to force us to watch you kill each other, to make us really lose all hope. The video of you, our family, being abducted was used for motive as well. But that was just the beginning. The mastermind was planning something far more cruel. In the end, the mastermind was swallowed by the despair, and that motive was left unused."

I shuddered at the idea of the Killing Among Loved Ones. I remember when we found out about all the unused motives. I'd hate to see the alternate universes where the game went on long enough to utilize those. At least I was spared. The mastermind had no way to get to any of my loved ones. Not the ones who were already in the killing game, at least. "Well, I'm still looking for all the captives. I've managed to find Komaru, Hina's brother, Hiro's mom, and over here is Chihiro's dad." I lifted up the laptop and turned it toward him.

"Um, hello." Taichi waved. "I hate to interrupt your conversation, but is Chihiro available?"

"Ah, sorry." Makoto said. "He's busy with a project. A... confidential project. He should be available soon." Taichi nodded in understanding, and I set the laptop back down.

"But, even after that... I was still imprisoned." Komaru said.

"Probably the doing of the Remnants of Despair, trying to succeed the mastermind's will." He guessed. "Because of them, we were totally in the dark about where the Captives were being held. But a few days ago, Future Foundation received an anonymous tip. We were told captives from the killing game were being held in a certain apartment in Towa City."

"So that's why Byakuya and the others were at my apartment..." Komaru said.

"Of course, the plan to rescue you all failed, and it was officially scrapped, but I still picked it up because I'm crazy like that." I explained. "Makoto, you've already heard the weapons being used in the riots are Monokumas, right? Have you figured out what the deal with them is?"

"No, we still haven't figured that out yet..." He admitted. "The Monokuma riot starting at the exact same time as the rescue operation... Strange..."

"It's not strange. It was planned from the start. We were set up."

"Then that would mean the tip was a trap? Using the Captives as bait to lure us there..."

"They aren't just bait." I said. "They're also targets for this killing game the kids are playing."

"...A killing game!?"

"It's not just riots, they're purposely toying with us as they hunt us down. Of the four captives I've discovered, half of them have sustained varying levels of injury. I guess it's like playing needle in the haystack to them, but you're allowed to destroy the hay, too."

"Wait, does that mean the Captives are the ones wearing wristbands like mine?" Komaru realized. "Then, Yuta, and Hiroko, and Taichi, they... They're all Captives!?"

"Yeah, those are the people I mentioned before." I clarified.

"So, there are a bunch of people like us..." Taichi said. "People who were separated from their families and held prisoner for over a year?"

Makoto interrupted. "Komaru... What you just said... Is it true? You're involved in this killing game, too?"

"Y-Yeah... They put a wristband on me. And now I'm being chased by these... weird kids..."

"Th-That's..." Makoto was struck silent.

"That's not all." I said. "One of the masterminds mentioned something important. He said something about Big Sis Junko."

"Junko? You mean Junko Enoshima!?"

"Junko... Enoshima?" Both Komaru and Taichi seemed confused.

"She's the mastermind behind the school... No, she's the mastermind behind The Tragedy itself." Makoto said. "Junko Enoshima is known as the True Ultimate Despair. She was... our former classmate."

"But didn't you say earlier that you already defeated the mastermind?"

"Yes, Junko Enoshima is dead. But it seems her memory is still alive and well. Even in death, Junko Enoshima continues to influence the Remnants of Despair. She's become a martyr to them... Now she's even more trouble than when she was alive."

I rubbed my temple. "It's like they worship her as some despair goddess. Basically, we managed to cut off the head of the hydra, only to find two more take it's place, angrier than before."

"We did defeat her at Hope's Peak Academy, but... Well, lately, I've been thinking." Makoto admitted. "...She must have foreseen this outcome from the very beginning..."

Taichi was silent. Komaru said "Listening to you guys is... I just can't believe it's all real."

"I get what you mean." I assured her. "But this is our reality. Denying it only causes more trouble."

"Y-Yeah, things are just so... messed up here. Makoto! Hurry up and get over here! Because of the wristband, I can't get out of the city. If I leave without permission, if blows! But Future Foundation can remove the wristband, right? So please, come save me!"

"Komaru..."

I suddenly realized why I was feeling so dreadful on our way up here. The conversation with Makoto got my gears turning, and I was finally able to get a proper grasp of this whole situation. Byakuya is a hostage. Why did they keep him as a hostage? Well, why would a Despair keep someone as a hostage? Most likely to force them to kill someone, but that's not these kids goal. The only thing they want to do is kill us. So their only incentive to capture someone would be to keep them in the city. Or, alternatively, to stop help from getting in. I didn't want to accept it, after this whole trip, but... Denying reality only causes more trouble. "You can't..."

Makoto, Komaru, and Taichi all turned their attention to me. Komaru asked "Huh? I-I can't...? Can't what?"

"God, I can't believe I didn't get it before. I'm a fucking dumbass! Of course it wouldn't be that easy... This is why they're holding Byakuya hostage, rather than killing him like the rest of his squad. They don't want Future Foundation to interfere. It's like taking a hostage during a bank robbery. The only reason I got through was because I acted on my own, as a rogue agent. If anymore Future Foundation members showed up, though... Byakuya would be..."

Realization dawned in Makoto's eyes, but he said nothing.

"Then... Future Foundation won't come save us!?" Komaru asked. "Then what am I supposed to do!?"

"...The same thing we've been doing this whole time." I decided. "We take the fight to them. It's survival of the fittest. If we can topple them, we can save all the captives and Byakuya in one fell swoop."

"Th-That's impossible!"

"No, it isn't!" I insisted. "We have the only weapons that can work against these things, and we got this far, didn't we?"

Tears welled up in her eyes. "B-But I... I can't take this anymore... I just can't do this anymore... I'm not from Future Foundation! Or Hope's Peak! I'm just a normal girl who can't do anything!"

"Komaru!" Makoto called out. I could hear the big brother instinct in his voice.

"Makoto, please, I'm begging you, come save me! Hurry! Please!"

"No, you can't!" I snapped. "Makoto, don't let your personal feelings override your judgement! If anyone comes, Byakuya's dead for sure!_ I won't let you sacrifice him, or anyone else!_"

"Al! Calm dow-!" The screen became distorted, the connection wavering.

"M-Makoto!?" Komaru turned to her brother in fear.

"Ko...maru..." The call suddenly stopped.

"M-Makoto, hey! What happened!? Makotooo! What is this...? Why, all of a sudden it..."

Taichi approached the laptop, inspecting it. "It's not out of battery, it was just the call that was interrupted... Which means..."

"They found us!" I growled. Suddenly, every window was covered with shutters. No sunlight was getting in.

"Wh-What!?" Komaru jumped.

"We gotta go. There are gonna be more Monokumas in this place than before, we gotta go!"

"B-But I haven't finished talking to my brother!"

"A-And Chihiro..." Taichi muttered.

"It doesn't matter, we can't get through!" I said. "And even if we could, it wouldn't solve our problems! With Byakuya captured, we're on our own!"

"But... if it's Makoto..." Komaru insisted. Suddenly, all the lights shut off. We were in complete darkness. "Wh-What!? Blackout!?"

"God damnit. We're sitting ducks in here." I looked around, and saw only one light source. It looked almost like a glow stick. "There." I let Taichi lean on me before heading toward it.

We found one of those kids with the helmets playing around with a Monokuma plush. Upon seeing us, she jumped over the counter, knocking over a can of that invisible paint, and ran down the hall.

"Get back here!" I call out. But she disappeared into the darkness. I looked to Komaru, who was hooking the glows tick onto her skirt.

"Well, at least it's gonna be a bit brighter now."

I sighed. "Yeah, at least now I can see two feet in front of my face. I bet that little girl knows the way out of here."

She nodded, and looked down at the can of paint. "Let's try following her footprints." She switched the gun to Detect mode, and shined a black light on the floor, revealing a series of messy footprints.

* * *

"Got you!" Komaru called out, grabbing the little girl from behind. She flailed about for a moment before seeing me.

"You know where the exit is, right?" I asked, leaning in. "I'm in a bad mood, so why don't you just make this easy and tell us where it is?"

She nodded, and lead us down a hallway where we eventually came to an emergency staircase. She turned the nob and entered, gesturing us to come forward.

"Thank god..." I approached, which I honestly should've realized was a bad idea.

The girl shoved the thick metal door, smashing me in the nose and sending me back. Usually, I would've been able to fight back, but with Taichi leaning against me, I lost my footing, and the two of us fell to the floor. I knocked my head against the wall. My vision blurred. From what I could see, the little girl shut the door behind her, and Komaru sprung forward.

"Wait, hold o-!" She was cut off by an explosion. The flames were the last thing I saw before my consciousness drifted away.

* * *

"God... fucking... damnit..." I groaned as I rose to my feet. Komaru was standing nearby. Taichi sat next to me, mild burns on his body. I noticed similar injuries on myself.

"We found the emergency exit." Taichi pointed out. "But it's blocked."

"Grand..." I wanted to hit myself. Why did this always happen when I was around? I had a hard time keeping my glasses on my face. The bridge had been snapped by the door. As if I didn't look like a big enough dork. I rooted around for medical tape to keep it together.

When that was done, I sighed. "I guess the only thing we can do now is feel around in the dark for god knows how long..." I paused. "Hang on... it's not... really that dark, is it?" Komaru lost her glow stick, but it seemed like there was still enough light in the area for my eyes to adjust.

We looked around, and found a window with a shutter that was dented in the explosion. I started wondering how we could break through it, until a bomb Monokuma conveniently showed up out of the darkness. Komaru shut it when it passed by the shutter, caving it in completely.

We carefully stepped out onto the outcropping. I assumed only maintenance workers were meant to be out there.

"It's good that we're finally outside, but now what do we do?" Komaru asked.

"Over there." I pointed to an emergency ladder. I turned to Taichi. "Are you feeling up for a climb?"

"If we're climbing down... I guess I could do it." He said.

"Good enough for me. Let's go."

We climbed down for who know how long, we arrived at the bottom of the ladder... but not the bottom of the tower.

"Okay, I'm not, like, a safety inspector, but I'm pretty sure this whole tower is entirely half-assed." I said. "Why would an emergency ladder stop halfway?"

"Looks like we gotta head back inside from here." Komaru noted. At the end of the hallway was a door leading inside. What would I do if there was a fire?

"Alright, fine. I'm getting real sick of all these inconveniences, though." I said.

"Well, we're already on the 2nd floor." Taichi said. "It's just a little further before we're out."

* * *

A lot of unimportant stuff happened. The whole tower was overrun with kids making us play stupid minigames. When we got to the first floor, I was ready to book it to the exit, but speaking of books, we found one.

"The Ghost That Wants to Die." I read. ""Taro" jumped off the roof of the kindergarten, saying he no longer wanted to live. But now he has to live as a "ghost." The life of a "ghost" is pretty hard. Even though he wanted it to end, it can't end. But "Taro" has an idea. Let's just change the meaning of "live." And to do that, "Taro" made a very strange move..."

"Hey Al, are you afraid of the dark because you're scared of ghosts?" Komaru asked.

"Don't be ridiculous." I rolled my eyes. "Ghosts aren't real."

"Then why are you afraid of the dark?" She asked.

"It's not due to any trauma or anything. I just have an active imagination. While I don't believe any paranormal crap, it doesn't stop my subconscious from torturing me with what may lurk in the dark."

"So... you _do_ believe in ghosts." She said.

I gave Taichi my best _Can you believe this? _look. "No, I don't. But what I do believe in are serial killers, and I've seen enough horror movies at a young enough age that I had to sleep with a night-light until I hit puberty. It's not the dark I'm afraid of, it's not knowing what's in the dark. I can't fight back against a mystery, after all."

* * *

"Ugh, I'm tired." I sighed as we trudged out of the front of the building.

"It's a good thing we got out of there okay..." Komaru said. "But being trapped, and that sudden blackout? What's with that...?"

"Those kids that saw us fight Jataro probably informed their higher-ups or something, and they cut us off by increasing the jammer. That's a thing you can do, right?" I turned to Taichi.

"Uh, well, I won't go into specifics, but let's say... Sure, it's possible." He answered.

"Well, now I'm completely cut off from my group." I said. "Though, I guess there's no reason I'd have to call them until this is over."

"...Will Makoto come save us?" Komaru asked pitifully.

"Get a grip. He can't. Byakuya may be a prick, but I'm not about to let him die. As long as he's in danger, we're on our own."

"But what about me!? Is it okay that _I'm _in danger? Or Taichi, or Yuta? I'm just a normal girl! I'm not a part of Future Foundation or Hope's Peak or anything!"

"_Everyone's _in danger." I said. "And it doesn't matter if you have talent or not. Anyone can do anything. Having a talent is just a get-out-of-jail-free card from having to practice."

"That's easy for you to say. You went to Hope's Peak, you're a part of Future Foundation, and you even survived that horrible game you and Makoto were talking about! It's easy for you to try to drag us along, but you have no idea what this is like for normal people like us!"

I stared at her, for a good few seconds. I suddenly burst out in laughter. Not a "haha, that's funny" laugh, but a bitter, dark laughter that made me sound condescending. At that point, I kinda was. "Even after all this time, you really don't know anything about me, do you? I guess that's my fault. Even after everything I've been through, I have trouble opening up to those around me..." I stared at the ground. "You think I don't know what this is like? Heh, what bullshit. I know better than anyone... You have no fucking idea what I've been through, how I had to adapt. You've got no right to talk down to me like that."

After a few agonizing seconds of silence, Komaru turned on her heel and started walking off. I called after her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"...It has nothing to do with you." Was her answer.

I was having a hard time keeping a lid on my anger by this point. "Yeah, sure. Judging from your actions so far, it's probably nothing, anyway."

She turned to me, a look of anger on her face a well. "Nothing? You think I've done nothing? It's true that you've saved me a lot, but I've been working hard too, y'know!? Saying that I haven't done anything, that's too far!"

Taichi was glancing between us, clearly trying to figure out how to be a peacekeeper. I ignored him. "I'm just paraphrasing what you keep telling me. You send out the wrong message, that's what other people pick up. Not that you care, since you seem to just want everyone's pity. Well, good job. You have my pity, just like all the corpses. You might as well be one, anyway."

"Why... Why do you keep saying that?"

"Because anyone who can't stand up for themselves is already dead. I can't stand people throwing their lives away for no reason. If forcing someone to wake up and smell the coffee requires me to be a cruel asshole, then so be it. I won't apologize for that."

"And that's why you don't have any friends!" She snapped.

It was a childish retort, a simple insult she shot at me purely out of frustration. But for some reason, it still cut me deep. I faltered. "Wh-What...? I-I have friends! I have enough. I don't... I don't need someone like you dragging me down."

"Someone like me? Meaning what?" She demanded.

"A coward, Komaru!" I snapped, finally spitting out my venom. "That's all you are, and as long as you keep making excuses, that's all you ever will be! "Normal." The way you say it, like it excuses everything, like it's a free pass to leech off of everyone around you. I bet the only reason Makoto hasn't cut you off yet is because he's such a fucking doormat. And here I was, comparing the two of you this whole time. It's clear to me now that there's no contest. You're not an Ultimate Hope. Not even close. You're just a disappointment."

"...Fine." She wiped her tears, turned away and started walking once again.

"Now where are you going?" I asked.

"...To find Shirokuma."

"Oh, yeah, I'm sure Haiji's got some great ideas for how everyone can continue to sit on their hands."

"...Better than being here." She shot back, not stopping. I groaned, and shifted my weight to support Taichi as I moved to follow her. "...You don't have to come with me."

"Might as well. I gotta drop Taichi off somewhere, and I can't trust you to take him there. Besides, I've seen this babysitting job through this far. Just because you're hopeless doesn't mean I'm gonna let you get yourself killed."

"...That doesn't make any sense as all..."

It took about a minute of us walking along in silence, with Komaru having a generous lead, before Taichi finally asked "Al... are you alright? I know this is stressful for all of us, but..."

I sighed. "I don't know, Taichi. I just don't fucking know."

* * *

**So, now Albert's cut off from his allies at Future Foundation. That sucks, but he knew what he was getting into. Well, he actually didn't, but whatever.**

**And, to make matters worse, everyone's in a bad mood and at each other's throat. Albert hasn't delivered a verbal beating that bad since the fourth trial of Another Hope. He has a habit of pointing out his friend's bad points, doesn't he? Well, he means well. Just like in Another Hope, he just wants his friends to realize their flaws so they can improve on them and be better people. But he seems to, at least subconsciously, fear that Komaru's comment about him not having friends might be right. Here's hoping that doesn't cause him too much despair.**

**In the next chapter, we'll head back to the adult base and regroup.**


	9. Chapter 8

**"What, another chapter? So soon!?"**

**Well, this one is slightly short, and I had a lot of free time this weekend to get through it. I originally planned for this and Chapter 7 to be one big chapter, but the length was getting a little ridiculous, so I cut it into two, and this one ended up being the smaller half. Still, I like the spot I cut it off at. Once you get to the bottom, you will probably realize why I decided to stop it there. (Do yourself a favour and _don't_ skip your way down there!)**

**I won't hold anymore of your time. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Breaking Point**

After beating a bunch of dumb minigames set by the kids, Komaru received another set of bullets, PARALYZE.

"Paralyze makes the targets short-circuit." I explained. "Certainly useful. Sure you just want to keep running, even with these weapons? Still think you can't fight?"

"I'm not doing this because I _want _to..." She responded, less bite in her voice than before.

"Oh, uh, would you look at that." Taichi, clearly trying to avoid another fight between us, gestured to the corner of the room, where another novel sat. Komaru picked it up. I read it from over her shoulder.

_"15 Ways to Make That Rich Son of a Noble Family Fall In Love with You!"_

_"There are myriad women who dream of marrying a rich son of a noble. But there are also myriad women who are cruelly torn from that dream. So then what's the difference between the women who live their dream from the women who wake up crying? Simple! Whether or not they've read this book! "Even if I don't know these things, I'm sure it will be fine." Are you saying this to yourself right now? Don't regret it! The son of a noble family won't wait for you! Learn the "15 ways" with this book so that you too can become the future wife of a noble son!"_

There was a long silence between the three of us. I cleared my throat. "Well, it looks like an interesting read, at least. Though the only noble son I really know is Byakuya, and something tells me these trick wouldn't work on him."

"So... are we just leaving it here, then?" Taichi asked. "I don't really have a use for this kind of book, either."

"Neither do I." Komaru agreed.

"I guess I'll take it." I said. "Just for entertainment." I've always wanted to be rich, though bagging Byakuya isn't my go-to plan. His status can't really forgive his attitude. On that note, I guess there aren't many nobles around ever since the Tragedy. Rich people are a scarce commodity nowadays. The only ones I can name are Byakuya and Haiji. Neither one is a particularly splendid choice.

* * *

"Hey, did you hear about this?" Some guy asked as we passed him by on the sidewalk. "Future Foundation is behind this whole thing. The kids, the Monokumas, everything. The incident has been calming down, and Future Foundation is losing influence. They're probably trying to regain power by causing a problem and taking credit for the solution."

"Wow, that's probably the lamest conspiracy theory I've ever heard." I said. "Where did you hear that one? They're obviously not."

"What, you know that for sure?" Um, yeah, asshole, I do. "I've also heard the whole Tragedy was their doing. Either way, those guys are _not _to be trusted."

"Okay, but, why, though? Why do you think this? Do you have... any evidence at all? Or do all the people in this city have trust issues? What's wrong with you people?"

"Hmph. You've obviously been taken by their act. I have nothing more to say to you." He walked off, probably to his death.

Welp, I have enough weight to carry as-is, so... I guess I can let him go, just this once. And it certainly has nothing to do with the fact that he pissed me off.

* * *

"Here you are, Taichi. Salvation. Or so they say." I said as we entered the base, the door sliding shut behind us. "I think I saw the doctor heading that way when we dropped off Yuta. You should probably get those wounds looked at by a professional. You need me to carry you?"

"No, thank you." He said. "Thank you both for everything. I never would have made it this far without you."

"It's fine, man. I'll find a way to get this whole situation figured out. Then you'll see your son."

We said our goodbyes, and Taichi slowly walked off to find a doctor.

"Um... Where is Shirokuma?" Komaru asked a man nearby. When he saw us, he turned and walked away. "Umm... Hello?"

"Heeey! You two!" The voice of Shirokuma pierced through the silent room as the bear ran toward us. "Yay! Yaaay! You made it back safe! I'm glad! Now, I want to hear the whole story, but first... Welcome back! Come, leap into my arms!"

Komaru and I exchanged a quick glance.

"C'mon, don't be modest! Do it! Do iiit!"

"Yeah, I'm gonna stop you right there, see-"

"Well, I was trying to do a dirty joke, since usually I'm very clean. As a change of pace."

I stared at it. "...Riveting. So..."

"Anyway... you must be tired. Why don't you just rest for a little while?"

"Tempting offer." I said. "But remember when I said I didn't trust these people to not kill me in my sleep? Yeah. These people are eyeing us like pieces of meat. You seem to be the only one happy to see us."

"Th-That's not it! They're just... shy!" Shirokuma defended.

"Sure, whatever, look..." I sighed. "I have good news, and I have 2 bad news."

"Oh. Well, I'd like to hear the good news first, if possible." It requested.

"Okay, well, awkward. The first bad news is that I lied about there being good news. The second bad news is that Future Foundation can't get here."

"I see... So that's why you're so down..." The bear made a motion like a sigh. It turned to Komaru. "I'm sorry... Do you want me to pat your head?"

I scoffed. "How many heads have you smashed open with that claw?"

"L-Like I said, I don't do anything like that!"

"Yeah, I know." Komaru finally said. "I trust you, Shirokuma... You're the only one I can trust anymore."

"Hmph. You sure know how to pick your friends." I snarked.

"Hey, Shirokuma... What should I do now? I... I don't know what to do anymore."

"To tell you the truth, Haiji and the others are in a conference discussing exactly that. Why don't you go on in and join them?"

"Huh? B-But..."

"Yeah, because we were received so well when we first came here." I said.

"Oh, that's nothing!" The bear assured me. "That was just a small misunderstanding, we still have the same goal! To stop these out of control kids, and free the mistreated adults... Isn't that right?"

"I... didn't really think it through that far." Komaru admitted.

"No, really. I know you can do it."

"Huh?"

"Rather... you have to do it. You have to be able to save the adults. This is Armageddon! We gotta band together and destroy that Kid asteroid! C'mon, our future is in there!"

* * *

So, we went to the meeting.

And, of course, the first thing I hear upon walking inside is Haiji telling a group of adults "I'm not telling you to stay here forever. I'm just saying now is not the right time... Does anyone else have any ideas?"

"Haiji...?" Shirokuma started as we entered. "Is it alright if these two join the conference after you guys take a break?"

Everyone turned to us sharply. Komaru gave a small wave. "H-Hello..."

"You two... Why are you two here?" Haiji demanded. "I already told you, I don't want to talk to you anymore."

"Now now! It's not the time to argue." Shirokuma scolded. "You guys have to get along, especially at a time like this!"

"Regardless... This conference is over." He said.

"No, not yet!" The bear pressed. "It's not like you've considered all the options yet, right? Remember the idea I brought up before? Did you consider that?"

"I already told you, it's impossible." Haiji said.

One of the other adults spoke up. "I understand how you feel, but..."

"Hey, does someone want to fill me in on what we're talking about?" I asked.

"It's... about persuading the children." Shirokuma revealed.

"Persuade!?" Komaru jumped.

I considered it. It didn't seem feasible. "I'm not entirely sure if that would work. Those kids just want blood..."

"But you guys are all humans!" The bear argued. "You can come to an agreement with words instead of violence..."

"You really think a group of monsters like those kids can be _reasoned _with?" A man asked.

"I bet they'd kill us the moment we showed up to treat with them." The man from before said.

"Plus, this group here..." Haiji added. "There can't be peace with those kids. You know what they've done."

"B-But still, why don't you at least try!?" Komaru asked. "It's like Shirokuma said, we're all humans..."

I shook my head. "The ringleaders don't even care about their family. Like I said, all they want is blood. There's no deal we could make that they would find beneficial to that goal."

"That's right!" A woman said. "They're not human, they're demons!"

"And not just that, even if we tried to use family to persuade them, it's not possible." Haiji said. "The survivors here don't have any children anyway."

"You mean... they're putting a priority on hunting parents, specifically?" I asked. That made sense, given what we know of their motivations.

"Wh-Why?" Komaru asked.

"Who knows...?" Haiji shrugged. "They have a deep-seeded hatred of the ones who raised them. It's messed up... It's impossible to persuade a group like that. I'm completely against the idea."

Shirokuma loaded for a second. "But, if fighting is impossible, and persuasion is impossible... What are you going to do?" Oh, allow me to guess.

"Didn't I already say it? The best plan is to just wait for a while for a good opportunity." Ah, there it is!

"How long is "for a while," exactly?" I asked, disdain creeping into my voice.

"I-I don't know." He admitted. "But now's the time to toughen up and endure it."

"No, now's the time to toughen up, grow a pair, and retaliate." I argued.

"...You're an outsider. How could you possibly understand? I am... the leader of this Resistance. I have to think about the lives of _everyone _here." As he spoke, he stepped up to me.

I'm getting real sick of people claiming I don't know what suffering is. "Newsflash, asshole, I'm in the same war zone of a city that you and everyone else here are! When I came here, I thought my mission would just be saving people, getting evacuations up. I didn't sign up to babysit an entire army of grown-ass adults!"

"What did you say?" He glared at me.

I didn't back down. "You heard me, blue blood."

Shirokuma was trying to get between us. "H-Hey! You two!"

"You don't think about others and just say whatever you want... You're no different than those kids." Haiji growled.

"At least I can act like an adult. You, on the other hand, are too used to sucking on your dad's teat that, now that he's dead, you're just dragging the rest of the city down with you."

"If you don't like the way I lead, then you can _leave_. No one is going to stop you."

"Fine, I will. I don't know what the official psychological term is for people content with living like this, nor do I know how a whole city could get like that, but if everyone here wants to die in this shithole, then there is literally nothing I can do to help any of you." I turned to Komaru. "So, you still wanna stick with the defeatist gang, or are you coming to your senses?"

"...You're the one who's wrong, Albert." She said.

"...How so?"

"You... don't understand... You don't understand the feelings of the weak at all..."

I rolled my eyes. "Them being weak is besides the point. My argument is that weakness can be overcome, but they refuse to do so."

"That's exactly my point!" She suddenly yelled. "The reason they don't do anything is because they can't build confidence! I would know! You're someone strong, with talent, chosen by Hope's Peak and the Future Foundation... You don't know how people like me feel! You don't know what it's like!"

"There it is again. That argument. You still think I've never been weak? That I'm _chosen_? Don't make me laugh. The only thing that ever chose me was bad luck, and a loony scientist. Anytime I try to protect someone, there's a good chance that they end up dead, and if they don't, someone else probably will. On top of that, I'm fat. I'm afraid of the dark. I'm absent-minded. I'm not confident in myself! I've never been! But where would I be if I just bitched about it all day? I'd be rotting at the bottom of a garbage pit. Confidence isn't important. Sometimes, you just gotta do something,_ anything_ to make things a little better. And I've done all I can for you people, and for the people I care about. So for you to say that I was _chosen_, like I didn't have anything to do with it... Fuck. You."

"Please, wait guys!" Shirokuma was now trying to get between me and Komaru. "Ooh, fighting is a big no no!"

Suddenly, the doors burst open, and another man ran in. "E-Emergency! Monokumas are attacking us!"

"Huh!?" Everyone jumped out of their seats.

"Wh-Why are Monokumas here...?" One of the adults asked.

"How did the children find out about this place!?" A man yelled.

"That's not important right now! Just run!" Haiji ordered. Gee, if only we had, I dunno, weapons or something.

"Christ's sake, it's just one thing after another today!" I ran, following the other adults.

"...Wait!" Shirokuma called. I turned to him. "Please... protect everyone!"

"Of course, that's why I'm following them." I pulled out my baton, switching it on. I might've talked about abandoning them when I was mad, but there's no way I'd leave innocents to die.

"P-Protect?" Komaru repeated. She seemed to be hesitating.

I walked up to her, pulled the gun from her skirt, and shoved it into her hands. "Now's not the time to argue. If you don't fight, you're gonna die, too."

"...F-Fine."

* * *

As the last Monokuma exploded, I sighed, falling to my knees. We were surrounded by corpses and injured. I nearly vomited at the scent of blood in the air.

"Goddamnit... I wasn't fast enough..." Everyone I try to protect. I swear to god, every one of them...

"Th-This is terrible..." Komaru said. "This is... so cruel..."

"...This is your fault." The pleasant voice of Haiji accused.

"...Huh?" Komaru and I turned to see him approach, slowly rising to face him.

"This whole time I've been so careful keeping this place a secret." He said. "I convinced people to stay underground, stay hidden so they couldn't be followed... But after all that... this happens. The only explanation is that they followed you. _You _brought them here!" Okay, first of all, that plan sounds like a quick way to lose resources. Secondly... ugh, whatever. I'm too tired at this point.

"W-We did?" Komaru asked.

"When you contacted Future Foundation, the kids must have honed in on you. They tailed you, and you brought them right back here! It's all your fault! You did this to all of us!"

"B-But that's not fair!" Komaru argued. "I... I didn't _want _this to happen!"

Shirokuma ran up to Haiji. "W-Wait! These two protected us, didn't they!?"

"If they never came back here after their stupid mission, this place wouldn't have been ambushed!" He insisted.

"Th-That's just pure conjecture." I said, though I knew his argument held some plausibility. "You're just making crazy assumptions-"

"Well, as long as I'm assuming, I guess I'll go one further and say you guys are spies for the kids!"

"Alright, now this is getting ridiculous. What could we possibly gain from that?"

Haiji turned away from us. "I remember an old folk tale, about a war between birds and beasts. By using the face of both bird and beast, the bat played both sides. But because he couldn't get too close to either, in the end, the bat ends up alone."

"If you're making an accusation, say it." I dared.

"Bird or beast... I wonder which side you're on."

Suddenly, the TV in the center of the room lit up, broadcasting gruesome footage of adults being tortured by children.

"N-Not this again...!" Someone cried.

"Please, make it stop!"

"Why... Why now!?"

"What... is that...?" Komaru asked.

Haiji scoffed. "What, you're asking me? Don't act like you don't know." He raised his good hand and snapped his fingers.

Suddenly, Komaru and I were both seized by a group of adults. One of them held my arms back so I couldn't fight, while another reached into my lab coat, removing my first-aid kit and high-frequency baton. "What the hell...!? Get off me!"

"Lock 'em up." Haiji said. They started dragging us away.

I swung my head back, head-butting the guy behind me in the face. With my hands free, I threw a punch at the next closest guy. Unfortunately, we were up against a group of about a dozen.

All of our resistance was quickly snuffed out.

* * *

I sighed, sitting on a bed in a shitty, dusty-ass room. I was so tired. But I couldn't sleep. There was still work to be done. I just couldn't do it here. But I couldn't leave, either.

And, to top it all off, my sense of dread had returned, boiling in my empty stomach.

Heh, I've never really had a chance to think about it, but what is this "sense of dread?" It just seems to show up whenever something bad is about to happen, like a gut feeling. But I'm no Akane Owari. Is it tied to that strong sense of empathy the headmaster seemed to think I have? But empathy usually deals with people, not... events. I originally just assumed this dread was specific to Hope's Peak, since I knew all the events that unfolded, but even after I left, I still get like this sometimes. Is this perhaps something to do with Toshihide? Man, I haven't thought about him in ages. But when he left, he imparted with me a lot of his knowledge. Could it be possible that he guessed all these things that went wrong? But he's not an analyst. He's just a physicist. So I guess this ability is all me. I'm just good at guessing when things are about to go south. Well, I'll take any advantage I can. Wouldn't be the weirdest thing I found in this world, that's for sure.

Gritting my teeth, I stood and started pacing. Thinking of Toshihide reminded me of what I learned from him. Not the knowledge he left with me, but the lessons I learned during my time at Hope's Peak. Most important of which, sitting around and letting things happen didn't fix them. I don't care if there was a solid steel door between me and the outside, I had to get out there. But how?

I considered my options. I had no equipment with me other than the clothes off my back. There was also a bed. What could either of those do? I thought about it for a few minutes before deciding the answer was nothing.

_Come on, Albert, you've thought your way out of situations worse that this. _Great, now I'm hallucinating. And no, fake-Toshihide, I haven't thought my way out of situations as bad as this. _But you have. You don't recall your time at Hope's Peak Academy. How can you make such a bold statement without truly knowing all that you've accomplished? _Well, regardless, your encouragement isn't something that I need right now. I need answers. But that does give me an excellent idea...

Toshihide left me with his knowledge. Whose to say he didn't leave me with his skills, either? Maybe... with a bit of luck... I could even manipulate matter like he could...

I walked up to the steel door and planted my hands on it. I started thinking about how matter works. The tiny little atoms that pulled each other together to form a massive sheet of steel. I willed them to moved out of my way, I commanded it.

Nothing happened.

I tried snapping my fingers a couple times, since Toshihide did that whenever he pulled a trick. I was never very good at snapping my fingers. But something told me that wasn't the problem. "Open sesame! C'mon, Abracadabra! Hocus Pocus!"

Nothing happened.

I reeled back and threw my fist into the door. It hurt... but it felt good. Cathartic. I swung my other fist into the door. Then the first one again. Then the other. I kept going until my knuckles were sore, and my rage was finally smothered.

Nothing happened.

My breathing shaky, I stepped back and slumped against the wall. That was good... but it didn't get me any closer to solving this problem.

"Is... Is that you, Al?" A voice asked me from the other side of the door.

"...Huh?" I asked, my own voice hoarse. The voice was feminine, but it wasn't Komaru. I didn't recognize it. No... I _did_, but I wasn't sure from where. Unless...

"Hang on... I'm gonna see if I can open this..." She said. She sounded somewhat out of breath.

I stood up and approached the door, confused. I noticed some movement on the other side, but she wasn't standing directly in the window's vision. Before I could get close enough to look through it, the door suddenly swung open, revealing the girl. It was her... She wasn't supposed to be here. She wasn't supposed to be alive. Stunned, I took a step back.

She didn't look identical to how I remembered her. She was wearing a tattered old Hope's Peak uniform over her cardigan, and had an aluminum bat tied to her backpack, likely to be used against the Monokumas. But it was unmistakably her. Her short, light-pink hair. Her pink eyes, staring straight into mine.

"I finally found you. I'm so glad to see a... a familiar face." She said with a tired smile.

Standing before me was none other than...

The Ultimate Gamer, Chiaki Nanami.

* * *

**Boom. Haven't dropped a bomb that big since the reveal that Toshihide had ulterior motives.**

**Chiaki is alive!? How is this possible!? Well, you can probably guess it had something to do with Albert, since he's the only outside element in this series. I think the bigger question is what she's doing in Towa City, but that'll be answered when the next chapter comes around. I didn't just throw her in because she's popular, she does have a reason to be here and fit into the story.**

**On a side note, one of the reasons I wanted to write this story instead of just skipping to the next one, other than the reveal of Chiaki, was because I thought it would be interesting to explore the similarities and differences between Albert and Toko. I didn't get to explore Toko very much since she was one of the early kills in Another Hope, so I decided to do it here. I feel like this chapter and the last both really show how similar the two are.**

**Albert reacts to things differently than Toko, and is a lot less lewd than her, but his conversations still usually end up leading to the same place. On top of that, they are both somewhat intelligent, but struggle in social areas. They are also both much more pessimistic than their fellow survivors, but persevere and echo Makoto's sentiments in order to stay strong. Despair Girls really made me sympathize with Toko, and I wanted to show that.**

**Anyway, in the next chapter, well... Chiaki's here. Let's find out why.**


	10. Chapter 9

**Okay, sorry to keep you all waiting. Actually I'm not, since the Chiaki thing was one of the biggest reveals I've made in these stories, and there's no harm in letting that stew for a bit. Don't worry, I've seen the reviews. The people have spoken. I assure you, this chapter will tell us why she's alive, and what she's been doing this whole time, though if you want an exact answer for **_**how **_**she's alive, well, I might be saving that until I get around to DR3(or I might answer it in DR2, we'll see.) But there will be hints. It wouldn't be a Danganronpa story without it's hints.**

**Also, small warning, this is the chapter where we deal with Kotoko. If you're unaware of the events of Despair Girls, let me just say, if you are disturbed by references to sexual assault or anything related to that, you may want to be careful. There is nothing explicit, but it is implied to the point where it is literally all but stated outright. I know I didn't give any warnings like this for beatings or neglect for Masaru's or Jataro's chapters, but as TV Tropes puts it, Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil, so I thought this was at least a little necessary.**

**On a **_**much **_**lighter note, I'd also like to thank CannibalisticApple for helping me tie up any loose ends Chiaki's survival might have caused, since I'm still working on getting caught up on my DR3. I assure you, though, I have a solid idea of where I want this to go. And hopefully, this twist will be unraveled a lot neater than some of the twists in Another Hope.**

**With all of that out of the way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 9**

**Fighting Spirit**

Silence prevailed as we stared at each other.

"...Y-You... You're..." I couldn't form a proper sentence.

Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer, someone who was supposed to be dead... whose death was supposed to be the catalyst for the actions of the Remnants of Despair... stood right in front of me. Living and breathing. There was only one possible answer. And yet... I couldn't accept it. The part of my brain responsible for my self-loathing wouldn't allow it. It was simply impossible.

"Albert..." She started. "It's... been a while, huh?"

Since my words were failing me, I let my actions speak. I reached out, planting my hands on her shoulders. Then I pulled her into an embrace. After a moment, she returned it.

"...P-Please, tell me you're real..." I begged. "Tell me this isn't some twisted trick by those kids or the Despairs..."

"No, I'm real. It's really me, Al." She insisted.

I laughed. That was all I needed to hear. I pulled back, but kept my hands on her shoulders, afraid that if I let go, she would disappear in a mess of pixels. "I... I can't believe you're still alive."

"I know..." She let out a tired sigh. "I've had a lot of close calls in the last few days, but I made it here, thanks to Shirokuma. He's the one who told me I could find you here."

"No, that's not what I..." I faltered again. She had to have seen the broadcasts, right? She should know about my missing memory, and my knowledge of the Danganronpa series. "I just meant... I thought you died back at Hope's Peak."

She looked confused. "I might have, if you didn't save me. Don't you remember? During the Parade?"

"I-I saved you..." The truth sunk in, and I started laughing again, letting go of her and backing up against the wall. "It wasn't pointless! I mean, all this time I thought... I thought it was all for nothing! That my presence, my... existence... didn't mean anything! But it did! It did!"

Her confusion only became more apparent, and was now mixed with concern. "Al... are you okay? You're acting... weird."

I looked to her. I shook my head and slapped my face, calming down. "I'm sorry, Chiaki. I've just had a bad day. Well, a bad couple of months, actually. In fact, you can just assume that 90% of my life after the last time I saw you has been pretty shitty. But seeing an old friend has really lightened my mood. It's just, I'm curious, didn't you... see the broadcasts?"

"Broadcasts?"

"Of the killing game. The killing school life of Hope's Peak Academy."

She shook her head. "You mean that thing that caused the Reserve Course students to riot?"

I wasn't sure if we were on the same page. "What rock have you been living under that you haven't seen the broadcasts?"

"I... was actually locked in an apartment for the last year and a half." She explained.

My eyes widened. "You... You wouldn't happen to have a wristband on you, would you?"

She nodded, pulling up her sleeve and revealing a wristband identical to the one Komaru had. "After I escaped the apartment, a group of kids caught me and put this on me. But, how did you know?"

I rubbed my head in frustration. She was a captive. My captive. That made sense, by process of elimination. My family couldn't be reached, since they were in another dimension. Toshihide was presumed dead. Susumu _is _dead. Class 77-B were turned into Ultimate Despairs, so I'd have no incentive to kill for them. Class 78 was already part of the killing game, so they couldn't be captives. And, apparently, I didn't have many friends in the Reserve Course. So Chiaki really would be the closest person to me who could fulfill the role.

I looked up at her, and she was still expecting an answer. "Okay, well... A lot of things have happened in the last year and a half... what's the last thing you remember before your imprisonment?"

"The last thing I remember..." She thought for a moment. "Well, after you saved me, I was on the run for a little while. You told me to avoid Junko, her sister, or... anyone from Hope's Peak, really. And anyone wearing one of those "Monokuma masks." That's what you called them. And you called the people who wore them "Despairs." I did my best to stay hidden, but eventually, I was found. I thought they were going to kill me. The next thing I knew, I woke up in an apartment by myself. The whole time, I thought it was some kind of torture, leaving me alone with my thoughts, so I just endured it. Then, a Monokuma broke down my door, and... well, here we are."

I shook my head. Junko kept her alive just to fuck with me and, by extension, Toshihide. That was so... _her_. But then... what was motivating the Remnants? The same thing as all the other despairs? Or something else entirely? There were so many extra problems, too many to get into right now. I needed to remind myself that I'm still in Towa City. But I can't just leave Chiaki hanging like this, either.

"Okay, well, a lot has happened during your imprisonment." I continued. "The Tragedy has only recently started dying down, but Junko's followers are still committing atrocities in her name. You... know about your classmates, right?"

Her expression became more serious as she stared at the ground. "...Yeah..."

"...Well, my group, Future Foundation, we're trying to stop what they're doing." I explained. "My friends and I are actually working on a way to rehabilitate them. Make them like you remember them. Speaking of my friends, you remember class 78, right? Makoto and the others?"

She nodded. "Of course."

"Together, we went through... some trouble with Junko during the Tragedy." I said. "She performed some neurology bullshit on us, wiping our memories of our time at Hope's Peak, and trying to trick us into killing each other. Some of us actually did..." At her horrified expression, I quickly added "But we managed to defeat her, and Future Foundation's been trying to help us remember our old lives by giving us student records and stuff."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know..." She said. "So, you only remember me because of those records?"

"Well, my circumstances are a little different than those of 78, but let's go with that because it's easier to explain."

"...And those files said I was dead? And because you didn't remember saving me, you believed that?"

"Yeah. That's about the gist of it." As we spoke, I walked out of the cell and into the hallway. "I'd ask how I managed it, but I'm kinda on a schedule right now."

"That's probably for the best. It would take a while to explain, and... Well, that whole day feels so hazy now. I'm not sure if my memory is completely accurate."

Hmm. That was the thing with trauma, I suppose. Sometimes, the images are burned into your mind, and other times, your mind moves all those images to the recycle bin. She was probably blocking out all the horrible details of what happened that day. If I pried too much, she could have some sort of flashback. But I really didn't think that would be good for PTSD, so I'll let it go. She probably remembers all the important parts, anyway.

Still, the question persisted. If I saved Chiaki's life, then why were the Remnants of Despair doing what they were? What drove them into a corner?

"Well... I know why you're in Towa, you're probably wondering why I'm here." I said to change the subject." See, you're not the only one with a wristband like that in the city. Junko kidnapped a bunch of people we knew and stuffed them into apartments in Towa. I came here to get evacuations up, and escort these captives to safety, but I've been running into so... many... problems..."

I trailed off as we stepped in front of another holding cell. I was pretty sure this was where they dragged Komaru off to. Except the door was completely unhinged, lying across the floor. "Ah, shit, that's not good. This is where Komaru is supposed to be..."

"Komaru...?"

"Makoto's little sister. She's one of the captives."

"Al, look out...!" Chiaki reached her hand over her shoulder, inches from the handle of her bat. I looked to where she was pointing.

Three kids with Monokuma helmets approached. The one on the left held my high-frequency baton, the one on the right held the hacking gun, and the one in the middle held a tablet displaying a GPS app. The GPS marker was currently moving through the city.

I took it. "I'm to assume that's where Komaru is?"

The kid nodded in response. I took my baton and the hacking gun, hooking them to my belt, and the three kids laughed and ran off.

I sighed. "Well, I can't leave her in danger. Looks like I got yet another mission on my hands that I gotta do alone."

"Maybe not." Chiaki said. "I'll help you."

"No." I shook my head. "I can't ask that of you."

"But it makes sense." She insisted. "I want to find my classmates and make sure they're alright. You and your friends want that, too. So the sooner I help you complete this mission, the sooner you can help me with mine, right?"

"It's gonna be dangerous." I explained. "Haiji might be a shitty leader, but I'd be much more comfortable with you here than with me."

She smiled. "You really haven't changed that much, have you, Al?"

"Huh?"

"You still spend so much time trying to help everyone else around you, you're not even worrying about yourself." She explained. "You said it's dangerous, but if you go out there alone, you're only putting yourself in more danger, right?"

"I guess that's true..."

"It's good to want to help people, but you shouldn't have to do it all on your own. Sometimes, you have to let others help you when they want to, too."

I nodded, chuckling. "I can't believe I forgot that..." That was another big lesson my time at Hope's Peak taught me. That you need your friends just as much as they need you. "Thanks, Chiaki. I think I'm just... scared. Scared to lose a friend. Scared to ask for help. But you're right. I do need help. So, if you're offering..."

"Let's go save Makoto's sister."

I pulled out my baton, and switched it on. "You know, this whole time, I've been staying on the defensive, just as scared of these kids as the rest of the adults in the city. But I'm tired of running, and I'm tired of being afraid." I pulled the hacking gun off may belt as well, brandishing both weapons. "Not to slight your talent at all, but I'm through playing games. If the enemy wants everyone to feel despair so badly, I think it's time they get a taste of their own medicine."

* * *

As we ran through the streets of Towa, I repeatedly checked the tablet to see where Komaru was headed. Remaining a constant sprint was not my forte, and I doubted Chiaki was doing too good, either. But, as with the rest of my time in the city, we were running on adrenaline.

We eventually reached an intersection, and I stopped to catch my breath, checking the map. "...Hang on..."

"What's wrong?"

"According to this, Komaru is headed right toward us." I pointed down the road, but the only thing we saw was a train moving along the elevated railway above the street. It didn't take a genius to put two and two together.

"How do we get on that train?" Chiaki asked.

"I dunno. Unless..." It was moving pretty slow, for a train. We had about a minute or two before it got to where we were. I quickly ruled out what we couldn't do. We couldn't stop it. We couldn't chase it down and hope to keep up. We had to get on the train while it was moving. Somehow.

A plan was forming in my head. I scanned the buildings around us, and found what I needed. "C'mon, this way!" I lead Chiaki over to a fire escape. Utilizing a dumpster, some debris, and my recently-practiced parkour abilities, we were able to scale it up to the roof of the building.

We stood on edge of the rooftop. The train was only seconds away from passing under us. It would be about a 10-foot drop, and it was probably moving at over 30 mph. Speaking as a physicist, there was a very small likelihood of clearing this jump. Speaking as a psychologist, the fear response was already taking over at the idea of taking the leap. But speaking as a gamer... well, in this universe, not everything made sense all the time. Sometimes, miracles do happen. Screw my bad luck. Screw my fear. Sometimes... If you just do it, things will turn out okay.

"You're plan is to jump?" Chiaki asked.

"It's gonna be dangerous." I repeated.

"I've survived worse." She insisted. I glanced at her. Yeah, I suppose she did. With some help from me, of course. Sorry, I'm still not over that.

"Okay. Do you trust me?"

"Always."

"Then hang on tight." I took her in my arms as we leaped from the rooftop. I angled my fall so that I would be able to spread out the impact, and roll in the direction the train is going, so I don't break anything. With Chiaki in my arms, she would take the least amount of the force, maximizing her chances of survival.

I braced myself for impact, but even that didn't help so much. We slammed across the metal roof of the train cars. The wind was violently knocked out of me. Chiaki and I separated as we rolled down the train. I began sliding over the edge, but Chiaki managed to catch me in time.

"This was a stupid idea!" I called over the winds and the moving of the train once I recovered my breath. I pulled my baton out and used it to break one of the windows of the train car, swiping away any protruding shards left over, before Chiaki and I carefully climbed inside.

"Not the most dramatic entrance." I remarked.

"Well, a superhero landing is actually really hard on your knees." She informed me.

"Our chosen landing was hard on me, in general." I added.

Just then, the door to the car ahead of us opened up, and a few Monokumas waddled out.

I pulled out the hacking gun and pointed it toward them. "Stand back, but be ready."

She pulled her aluminum bat off of her backpack. "I know."

* * *

For a girl who spends most of her time playing video games, Chiaki was actually a pretty solid fighter. Maybe it's because gaming requires good reaction speed or something, I dunno. But she certainly didn't drag me down any.

We approached an elegant door that I assume lead to the front of the train. It looked heavy, but just before I started thinking how to open it, a bomb Monokuma jumped through a nearby window and landed a few feet from it.

Chiaki turned to me. "Do you want to do the honors?"

"Gladly." I raised the hacking gun and shot it directly in the eye.

When the explosion died down, Chiaki and I ran into the room. I took in my surroundings.

There was a little girl on the ground, and judging from the fact that she didn't have any helmet on her, I assumed she was one of the masterminds. I saw Komaru strapped to a sort of bed that was positioned upright. It was some sort of... device, with a bunch of mechanical hands. Uh, okay...?

"A-Al!?" Komaru cried out.

"Uh, am I interrupting something?" I asked.

"No, it's not like that! Please, save me!"

"I won't let you..." The little girl said, as she rose from the ground. "Adorable girls deserve punishment. Ugly, smelly Demons are not adorable. They deserve even harsher punishment!" She pulled out a big pink gun thing, and fired a set of dentures at me. Uh, okay, again...?

Chiaki reacted first, stepping in front of me and using her bat to knock it out of the air. It wouldn't make Leon proud, but it was a good swing.

I rushed forward while the girl was reloading, and swung my baton at her weapon. With the added power of the high-frequency, the plastic gun crumbled like tissue paper. I turned my weapon to the girl. "No more bullshit. I came here for Komaru, but while you're here, I want you to answer some questions for me."

She didn't respond, staring up at me in a mix of anger and fear.

"Not feeling chatty, huh? I might not be willing to use torture, especially against a kid, but with the kill count you probably have, I could certainly do something similar. You're not doing yourself any favours by stalling."

"...Are you sure about that?" She asked.

"What?" Suddenly, the whole train car jerked, and I suddenly felt weightless. Then I was sent flying across the room, and hit may head against the floor.

* * *

I awoke to Chiaki lightly slapping my face. She sighed with relief when I rose. "Oh, good, you're alive."

"Don't say that too loud." I warned. I looked around. The train car was tilted, and everything was a complete mess. I noticed Komaru still strapped to that creepy contraption.

She started stirring as Chiaki and I undid her bindings. She fell to the floor, on her hands and knees.

I groaned. "I let you out of my sight one minute, and you get captured. Typical."

"I thought... you wouldn't come... I mean, right after we had that fight..." She said in between breaths.

I rolled my eyes. "Fight, schmight. I'm not gonna purposely endanger an innocent person just-"

"Waaah!" She suddenly tackled me in a hug. "Al, I was so scared!"

I gave Chiaki a tired glance before trying to wiggle out of Komaru's hold. "Man, if you're this clingy to a near-stranger, I'd hate to see what Makoto goes through..."

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I... I tried to leave you... I tried to run away... And I said such horrible things, like that "you don't have any friends"... I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry, Al!"

I managed to push her off of me. "Jesus, you really do have Stockholm Syndrome, don't you? I said it's fine! Your insults didn't even bother me at all. And I... might've said some things I probably shouldn't have, too. I was frustrated, and took it out on those around me. So, y'know... I'm sorry, too. Now come on, we gotta get out of this dump."

Komaru finally seemed to take notice of the other person in the room. "Who are you?"

"I'm Chiaki Nanami, the Ultimate Gamer. Nice to meet you." She introduced. "You must be Komaru."

"You've heard of me?"

"I wasn't gonna drag her across the city to help find you without explaining the situation." I said. "Chiaki's an old friend of mine from Hope's Peak. She's a captive, like you. Anything else you need to know, we can talk about on our way out."

We made our way over to a side door that was slightly opened in the mess. Chiaki and Komaru grabbed one side, and I grabbed the other, and we managed to wrench it open.

As we exited the train, we found ourselves in yet another arena, this one decorated to be pretty and pink. The ground was made of concrete, but was uneven, with a couple hills here and there. It was also flooded with ankle-deep water due to a pipe that was busted in the train crash. The audience cheered at the little girl, who now stood on a raised platform.

She did a small curtsy. "You wrecked the Moving Fighter Castle! I am furiously angry. You have seriously made me mad."

"Your face doesn't really match up with what you're saying..." Chiaki noted.

"This is acting, after all. Inside my heart, I can't help but feel unlucky. Speaking of unlucky, you really should have let me "motivate" you a little more. You could have felt sooo good, your mind would have been blown! You'd become so twisted..."

"I don't want that to happen!" Komaru argued.

"Oh? You're going to abandon the responsibility of being adorbs? That's not fair! Being adorbs means being an object of jealousy, being called "Ugly Bitch" or told to die. If that doesn't happen... being adorbs just isn't worth it." From the way she spoke, she made it sound like this was common knowledge, and Komaru was crazy for not accepting it.

I stepped forward. "Okay, first of all, you're kinda blowing Komaru's appearance out of proportion. I personally know, like, seven people more attractive than her. She's above average, at best."

"...I'll take that." She said.

"And secondly, I think what you're describing is just assholes being envious because you're more successful than them."

"Envy? No, no, no, this is the work of Demons. All I wanted was to be the same as everyone else. A normal kid who didn't stand out. But she used me to get _her _dream, even if it meant going to "market" with me... Well, the guys who wanted that are to blame too... Business with a mother and daughter set? How perverted can adults be? Oh, my mistake. I meant "Demons," not adults."

It took me a second to understand what she was saying. My first thought was the obvious answer, but I temporarily dismissed it because of her age. Then, the darkest part of my mind shouted out to me _No, that's exactly the problem_. "What...?" I was glad I was running on an empty stomach. I suddenly felt very ill.

"Seriously, I'm so ashamed of myself for listening to what those ugly Demons used to say... But everything's changed now. As someone who knows what makes adults happy, I also know the things they don't want. Using what I've learned, I can take down the Demons and make them suffer as much as I did!"

"N-Not all adults are like that!" Komaru defended. "There are good people who-"

"Then why didn't anyone save me!?" The girl suddenly shouted. "...If the world is so good... why didn't anyone help me escape!?"

All three of us were silent.

"...Welp, doesn't matter. What I said just now, that wasn't how I really feel. That was just acting. Just leave it to the former child acting genius, and a perfect performance is easy as cake!" It wasn't acting, I knew it wasn't. Aside from my psychology studies, I've also spent enough time playing games with Celeste to know when someone is hiding something. "And also, I've been saved by Big Sis Junko anyway."

"Oh, don't even start with that, now." I growled.

"Oh? Does Mister Big Pervert Demon over there happen to knooow Big Sis Junko?"

"You have no idea..." Chiaki muttered.

"You have no idea what that bitch is capable of." I finished. "She's killed so many innocent people. I swear, I don't know how she managed to convince you she's some sweet, gentle, motherly girl, but if you-"

"G-Gentle?" The girl paused for a moment, before suddenly shaking, hugging herself, and sobbing. "Gentle... Please... Stop with the gentle..."

"...Huh?" Komaru, along with Chiaki and I, stared up at her in shock.

"Wh-When they're... gentle, I... I get all flinchy... N-No! I don't want gentle, I don't... Please stop... A-Anything but gentle! Please, no, stop with the gentle!"

"Wh-What happened to her?" Komaru asked.

"I... think that's kind of obvious." Chiaki answered.

"No, I don't want gentle! I don't want anymore gentle!" Someone in the crowd tossed her a controller identical to Masaru's and Jataro's. "I... I said I... Anything but gentle..." She flipped the controller on. "I said... Don't ever say gentle!" Thunderous applause went through the crowd. "I beg you, I beg you... Anything but gentle!" She shifted the control sticks, and a giant robot flew in from the ceiling.

It was dressed in a heavy suit of armour, and carried an axe. Rather than legs, it floated above the ground with a rocket. A speaker went out throughout the arena.

**"Fighter Robot Highlander the Great!"**

Between sobs, the girl managed to keep speaking. "Don't say you'll be gentle... Please... just hurt me instead... If you use it gentle... Please be gentle with me... Please kill me instead!"

Highlander the Great raised it's axe at us, and we all jumped out of the way as it chopped at us.

"A boss fight, huh?" Chiaki asked.

"Something like that." I said. "Not my first one, funny enough."

"We should split up." She said. "It doesn't look like it has any AoE attacks, so it can only target one-" Suddenly, a bunch of Monokumas also showed up. "...Never mind."

As we ran, I started trying to come up with a plan in my head. "Okay, Chiaki and I only have melee weapons, so we'll handle the Monokumas. Komaru, you focus on Highlander. Try and find a weak point."

"Okay..."

We tried this strategy for several minutes before I realized we were getting nowhere. Every Monokuma we managed to destroy was immediately replaced. They just kept crawling out of the woodwork. Highlander wasn't much of a threat, since it's controller was still having an... episode, and therefore couldn't really fight strategically. While I was trying to come up with something new, a Monokuma almost caught me by surprised. Komaru had my back and shot it for me, and I felt all of my nerves explode with fire and pain. The Monokumas exploded, but Chiaki and I fell to our knees.

"Sorry!" Komaru shouted. "I thought Paralyze would help take them down!" I noticed it didn't sound like she was in pain. I looked and saw her standing not in the water, but on one of the hills. Of course.

I looked up at the robot. It had it's axe buried in the floor, and the electricity must've traveled up it's handle. It was shaking violently, and it's chest was exposed. I forced my muscles to move as I ran up and swung my weapon. The protective layer around it's weak spot broke off, but just before I managed to strike it, it suddenly stopped jolting and swung it's axe at me.

Chiaki pulled me back at the last second.

"Thanks for that." I said. "Take the hill!"

Chiaki and I ran to join Komaru out of the water, and we used our melee weapons to knock back any Monokumas that tried to follow us. Highlander swung at us just before we reached the hill, burying its axe. It missed me by inches, and when Komaru shot another Paralyze into the Monokumas, it began to jolt again. With another few Break bullets, the massive robot exploded into a beautiful heart-shaped flame.

Just like with the last two fights, as the dust settled, the kids in the audience moved to grab the girl. Oh, no. She wasn't getting away that easy. I want answers. I looked back at the train. I quickly scrambled up the rubble it created, making my way up to where the seats were. I quickly rushed over and grabbed the girl first, using my baton to smack away the hands that were closest.

"Back off! Do you hear me? Back the fuck up!"

They all exchanged glances with each other before slowly heading backward, out of the arena.

Satisfied, I grabbed the back of her jacket, and tossed her down, where she landed with a splash next to Komaru and Chiaki. I carefully leaped down to meet them, landing with a splash myself.

I advanced on the little girl. "Alright, Toddlers & Tiaras, no more messing around! You're going to tell me everything I wanna know, starting with a way to get these wristbands off."

"What are you doing to that child?" A somewhat formal voice said. I looked up, and saw yet another child, a young boy with blue hair, enter the room. "How immature of you... No, I guess it is rather Demonic, in a way. Ganging up and abusing a child. It's like a special skill all you adults have."

"N-Nagisa!" The little girl cried out.

"Abuse, huh?" I responded. "That's a funny way to say self-defence. I think at this point, anything less than killing you kids is justified."

"All we want is a peaceful paradise... Where children can live without fear." Nagisa answered, approaching us. He carried himself... well, almost like an adult. If there was anyone I'd believe was in charge here, it was this kid.

"I said it before, and I'll say it again; Peace built through violence and death can't work, and can't last."

"He's right..." Komaru agreed. "If all you wanted was a peaceful paradise, you shouldn't have done it like this!"

He shook his head. "There is no other choice. We must kill them. If we allow them to live, our paradise will be undone. And if that happens, we will be forced to endure our pain once more. Nothing will change. We can never be at peace until we have wiped out every single one of them. So we have to kill the Demons! To protect our world!"

"No." I said. "You had options. With all the resources you've been shown to have, you could've just relocated all the kids to somewhere safer. Or, if you really want the city, you could've just used these giant robots to force the adults out. It would've been violent, yeah, but you didn't have to kill anyone. Yet you chose to anyway. You're insane."

"Yeah, you're probably right..." He admitted. "We've all gone mad. Masaru, Jataro, Kotoko, Monaca... We're probably all insane... broken. But whose fault is that!? The adults are the ones who broke us!"

"Nagisa..." The girl, I guess Kotoko, spoke quietly.

"You want to hear the truth?" He asked. "...We're scared. We're all terrified of the adults... Hearing their footsteps... Sensing their presence... We can't help but feel scared. Completely terrified. As long as adults exist, we cannot rest... We cannot live in peace. At this point, the damage is irreversible."

I grunted and averted my gaze. As a psychologist, I had to disagree, but I wasn't sure he wanted to hear that right now.

"I-I figured... that something like that was behind all of this." Komaru admitted. "And I do pity you. But... No matter how pitiful you are, it doesn't mean that you can hurt others! To just treat them how they treated you... That's just going to make everyone equally miserable!"

"So you're saying we should just take it?" He spat. "You're saying we should just abandon all hope?"

"...H-Hope?"

He shook his head and sighed. "No, it's fine. Let's end this already. I want you to leave this town."

"...Huh?"

"You want to run away, right? You want to escape the city, right? Then I will let you leave. Satisfied?"

"...Nagisa, are you sure?" Kotoko asked.

"It's my decision... as leader."

"But... what about Monaca?"

"...I'll persuade her."

"Wait, wait, wait." I raised my hands. "Are you serious? You're gonna let her go?"

"Until you two arrived, our revolution was progressing smoothly. I don't want you to interfere any longer. So please, just get out of here! Stay away from us, please!"

I exchanged nervous glances with Chiaki and Komaru.

"I beg of you. Please, just leave the city!"

"Why did you change your mind so suddenly?" Chiaki asked.

"In order for the new society of children to be calm and peaceful, I need to create paradise." He explained. "Everyone has high expectations of me... I cannot fail. So please! Get out of our town!"

"B-But..." Komaru looked down at her arm and the hacking gun.

I considered my options. "Alright, kid, here's my deal. My only goal here is to evacuate the innocents. If you can get these wristbands off of all the captives, and show me a way out of the city, then I'll be sure to do my best to stay out of your hair while I try to lead any other survivors there. If you just turn a blind eye, and release your hostage, then that's it. The city's yours. I'll even try to convince the higher-ups at HQ to keep their distance. Deal?" Of course, I didn't have any authority to effect a decision like that, and the idea of letting a bunch of murderers go free sickened me, but right now, I wasn't in a position to make demands. My deal was already weighed so far in my favour. Besides, it's not like Nagisa could sue me for breaking the deal after I leave the city. I extended my hand to show I was serious.

Nagisa hesitated, thinking for a moment, knowing just how much of a benefit this deal was to me, but he must've been desperate, or willing to make a false promise, because he ultimately took my hand. "Deal." As if to accentuate his point, he walked up to Chiaki and Komaru. Their wristbands both beeped before opening. Nagisa took them off for them.

"And now... you are free."

* * *

**If you're worried, no, Chiaki will not end up maimed or otherwise injured before having to join Yuta and Taichi on the sidelines. I'm not that much of an asshole. Actually, once the story's over, I'll probably update the Characters' list to include Chiaki, since her mere existence here is pretty significant. I'd do it now, but... I don't want to ruin the surprise for any latecomers.**

**Anyway, I finally get to introduce Nagisa! Yeah, I know this is Kotoko's chapter, but Nagisa is by far my favourite of the Warriors of Hope. I mean, they're all despicable little monsters, but at least Nagisa is aware that they're monsters. The others believe that they're right, but he recognizes his actions as morally wrong, while still seeing it as the only way to further his goal. On top of that, he's also the only one that's mature enough to hold a proper discussion. Him and Al already kinda debated philosophy in this chapter, and they definitely will in the next one, too.**

**Also, yay, Komaru and Chiaki are now free! Well, kinda. They're still inside the city of Monokumas, but at least they can leave without blowing up. That's a lot better than they were before. Let's just hope Nagisa can uphold his end of the bargain, huh?**

**...Haha, as if things would be that simple!**

**In the next chapter, our heroes will follow Nagisa to a secret passage out of the city.**


	11. Chapter 10

**Alternative chapter title: "The One Where Albert Meets Another Friend From High School."**

**That aside, this chapter took a day later than I would have liked. It's been a long week for me, and I ended up wrestling with writer's block on and off between my errands. Still, my policy is "better late than never." My other policy is "If I have to choose between releasing something of low quality early, or decent quality late, always choose quality." After all, if something's bad, it'll be bad forever, but if it's delayed, it'll eventually be good.**

**Anyway, good or bad, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 10**

**Before The Storm**

"And now... you are free."

As Nagisa pocketed the wristbands, Kotoko has a look of concern on her face. "N-Nagisa! If you do this, you're gonna make Monaca super sad!"

"I know that! But it has to be done!" He insisted. "Monaca has high expectations of me! I'm sure she'll understand!"

A moment passed, and when she didn't respond, Nagisa turned his attention back to us. "I'll take you to the secret passageway. It's the only way to get out of town. I can guarantee your safety until you reach it. The Monokumas won't attack with me here... C'mon. Let's go." He turned to leave.

"Nagisa!" Kotoko cried after him.

"...Don't follow us." He told her.

"B-But..."

"...You don't want Monaca to hate you, do you?"

With that, he continued forward, and the rest of us moved to follow him.

Chiaki nudged me and whispered "I have a bad feeling about this..."

"I know." I said quietly. "Honestly, I don't trust any of these kids as far as I can throw them, but... It's in our best interest to work with them, rather that against them. The second I have a reason to think I'm being betrayed, though, we strike back. So, you know, no dosing off."

At the last line, she gave me a slightly offended look, but nodded. "I'm right behind you."

* * *

We made our way out onto the street. "...Let's go. The secret passageway is this way." He turned and started running down the street. With no other options, we ran after him.

"This way! Follow me closely!" He called out as we neared the end of the block. However, he stopped at the intersection. A bunch of Monokumas showed up, approaching us slowly. And it wasn't just Chiaki, Komaru, and I that were being targeted. They seemed to have their sights set on Nagisa. "...Hold on. Why are you attacking _me_?" The approaching automatons didn't respond to his question, and simply continued forward. Overcome with fear, Nagisa ducked his head and screamed.

I groaned. "Great. And I thought I was babysitting before." I pulled out my baton and switched it on. Komaru and Chiaki drew their weapons as well.

Between the three of us, we were able to quickly dispatch the dozen enemies without any injury. When the last Monokuma exploded, the kids with helmets ran off in fear.

"I thought you said the Monokumas wouldn't attack us if you were here..." Komaru asked.

Nagisa glared at the ground. "This is... strange... What in the world is this?"

"Hey, you weren't lying when you said you wouldn't trick us, right?"

"Of course! If I wanted to deceive you, I would not have removed your wristband."

"Then, they must think you betrayed them." I guessed.

"Betrayal? Me!? N-No! That's wrong! I'm no traitor! I am the leader of the Warriors of Hope! I care about making paradise more than anybody! The reason I'm letting you guys go is _because _I care so much!"

"Well, your allies don't seem to see it that way." I said.

He made a choking sound. "... I'm sure she'd understand if I explained it to her properly... Monaca has such high expectations..."

"You keep saying that, but something tells me your friends just want to see the adults dead."

He didn't respond. "C'mon, let's keep going."

* * *

After fighting through hordes of bomb Monokumas, ball Monokumas, guard Monokumas, and junk Monokumas, we finally neared an area that appeared to be a shrine. I had never actually been to a Japanese shrine before, though I had a hard time enjoying the scenery with the number of corpses around.

"S-So cruel... This is too cruel..." Komaru muttered as we passed a pile of bodies.

"I can't believe this..." Chiaki said quietly. I just stared at them all, trying to record each face into my memory.

Komaru turned to Nagisa. "You really don't feel anything seeing this?"

"These people... are Demons. Our enemies..." He insisted.

"That's not what she asked." Chiaki pressed.

"You said it before, right?" Komaru asked. "It's because you're afraid of adults?"

"...Yeah, that's right. We can't help but be terrified around adults... If the adults just didn't exist, we could live peacefully... That's what I believe."

"Why are you so afraid of adults?" She asked.

"...We Warriors of Hope were students in the Hope's Peak elementary program. We were in the classroom where they put all the troublemakers. But I resented being called a "troublemaker." It makes it sound as if we ourselves were the cause of the trouble. But that's not right. Our troubles were created by adults. By our parents. They say kids can't pick their parents... Well, we were the unluckiest ones of all. My parents were, without exception, the worst... Like Demons. My parents raised me like they were leveling me up in some game... They didn't treat me like a person. They probably even forgot I was their child. From morning till night, study, study, study... When I got sleepy, analeptics. Even when I faint, "HP" is fully restored with a handy I.V. in my arm... three to four days straight. And if I showed even the slightest resistance, they'd use "items" to neuter my spirit. And by doing so, as long as they steadily racked up "XP," I'd level up to their expectations. And it wasn't just at home. I received the same expectations at school as well. My father was a teacher at our school. He was a researcher of children's talents. He used his own son to research the growth of a child's talent. He wanted to see what the growth curve would be like if he pushed a child to the breaking point... Isn't that funny? I was the subject of such an amusing experiment."

"I-It's not funny at all..." Komaru said.

"It's awful..." Chiaki corrected.

"But even with all that, I was still better off than the others. You saw Monaca's legs, right? That... was done to her by her family. Her father and older brother were jealous of her talent, and that's how she ended up like that..."

"Th-That's horrible!" Komaru agreed.

"Because we had talent, because we were superior, we were treated like we were in Hell. But during it all, we didn't hold a grudge against our parents. We accepted how we were treated. Because we weren't aware that it was okay to hate our parents. We trusted the "common knowledge" that kids must love their parents, so we didn't fight it. Instead, we bonded over our struggle. And those discussions led us to the same conclusion. We had to escape from the horrifying world that made us suffer. We were desperate to run away from the scary parents, scary adults, the whole scary world... And we thought that there was only one way out. But... that's when it happened. There was someone who taught us to have courage, to fight back instead of running away... That was Big Sis Junko. Big Sis Junko taught us how. She wanted the thing we were going to dispose of... Our lives. And so, Big Sis Junko abducted us. Our disappearance didn't make much news. This was around the time the Incident was growing. Ever since then... the days have been so much fun. Big Sis Junko showered her possessions with love and affection. She gave us not only love, but a dream as well. The dream of creating a "children's paradise," where the children can live peacefully. We also learned from Big Sis Junko the beliefs required to build that dream. The belief that adults are Demons. It was as if we saw the light... Thanks to her, we finally realized... The common knowledge we had known up until then were lies created by adults created for their own benefit. Children cannot defy their parents, everyone must get along, violence can never bring peace... To destroy the world based on such lies, we decided to fight against the adults. As far as I remember, the first adult we defeated was a random person we didn't even know. We learned that kids can kill adults if they wanted to, and we were encouraged. From there, we leveled ourselves up by killing Demons. Big Sis Junko was so pleased... Just the idea of a child killing an adult is so despair-inducing."

"That's... just insane..." Komaru said.

"You were tricked." Chiaki told him. "Junko didn't care about you... She just wanted to use you to cause as much despair as possible."

"And what's wrong with that?" He retorted. "Did I not tell you that we are her possessions? We would rather her take advantage of us than horrible adults. Say what you like. Big Sis Junko... gave us hope. That's the truth. And because of that hope, we were able to defeat the Demon Boss."

"Demon... Boss?" Komaru asked.

"...Our parents." He revealed.

"You killed you're parents!?"

"That was a special battle that can only be fought once... That made us level up even further. From there, "Operation Children's Paradise" began, and we started freeing other children. By doing so, the advance of the Warriors of Hope seemed unstoppable. But... Just when things were going so well, Big Sis Junko died. Killed by some idiot. When she died and we lost our guide, we didn't know what to do... But... Monaca didn't despair. At that moment... Monaca looked just like Big Sis Junko in our eyes. Things that didn't matter vanished... And we felt ourselves rising up again. Come to think of it, that moment... That was the real beginning of the revolution. And this time around, I swore an oath. We, the survivors, will fulfill the dream, and prove how amazing Big Sis Junko is. We would leave lies like education and love for family in the past, and create paradise. That is our hope!"

"...You're wrong." I finally spoke. "You've been standing here, talking non-stop, and somehow every single thing you've said is wrong. Yeah, maybe... maybe your parents did deserve to die, I'll give you that much. From what I've heard, they're some of the worst human beings there could possibly be. But that's just it. They were the exception, not the norm. There are good people out there, some great people, and I'd bet my life that at least half of the people you killed in this city were good, maybe more. But you killed them anyway. You seem like a smart kid. You ever heard the phrase "He who fights monsters?" You call these victims "Demons," but what does that make you, the kids willing to murder innocents and kidnap their fellow kids from their peaceful homes, just to further your own goals? You say you wanted to prove to the world how amazing Junko is? The only thing you've managed to do is reinforce in my mind that she was truly the worst person this world has ever seen, and that she was beyond fixing. This isn't hope. It's Junko's perverted definition of the word. If your only hope is the killing of hundreds, then I reject you, and I reject that hope!"

Nagisa paused and stared at me a moment, taking a measured breath. "Justice and evil, these are beliefs that _adults _defined, are they not? First off, pure evil simply does not exist. In all evil there is something good. And in the same way, "justice" always hurts someone. There is no pure justice, either."

"I agree. Every evil has a good inside it. The question is, does is balance out in the end? Is it worth it? Killing your parents, I'll admit probably did more good than harm. But Junko killed thousands just so she could get her rocks off. That's not a good trade-off, no matter what you say. And yeah, someone always gets hurt with justice. That's the point. You punish those who deserve it. That's why we have courts, so people can defend themselves from getting wrongfully punished, so we can ensure that the offender gets properly punished, so offenders know they can't get away with what they want. But as I've mentioned, the majority of those you've killed are innocent. They weren't the ones who beat you, insulted you, raped you, or experimented on you. You wrongfully punished them, and did it without a second thought. You should go back to grade school, you're clearly not mature enough for imposing law, tyrannical or otherwise."

He averted his gaze and muttered under his breath "I didn't expect a Demon to understand."

Chiaki stepped forward. "We don't have time to stand around and talk about philosophy. Clearly, nothing is getting solved like this. If we're talking, what I want to know is why you chose Towa City, and where the Monokuma army came from?"

"The one who chose this city and prepared our Monokumas was Monaca." He answered. "Isn't she amazing? She created them with her special magic."

"...Magic?" Komaru repeated.

"Obviously, not literal." I corrected. "What you're saying is, Monaca's the true mastermind, and if I actually want to save these people, I gotta get through her."

"Monaca is our princess! I will never allow that!" He snapped.

"...H-Hey!" Komaru suddenly spoke up. "Earlier, you said that there is no such thing as pure justice or evil... But even if that's true, a dream that requires you to hurt someone... I think it's wrong."

Nagisa shook his head and turned away. "Hmph, after all this time, still saying something so naive... It seems as though we really don't have much in common. I was right to ask you to leave. So let's go already. The secret passageway is just up ahead."

* * *

"This is it." At the top of the stone steps, we were in some sort of courtyard area. Nagisa approached a big wooden shrine. He summoned his strength and shoved it over, revealing a small tunnel underneath.

"Stairs...?" Komaru observed.

"This is the secret passageway we prepared in case of emergency." He explained. "Go through here, and you can get outside the town."

Komaru hesitated.

"...What are you doing? Hurry up and leave." When she didn't start moving, he turned to her impatiently. "Hey, what's the hold up? If you just go through here, you'll be outside the city. Didn't you want to run away!? Didn't you want to escape this town!?"

She slowly nodded. "Th-That's right, that's... what I've always wanted. At least that's... what I thought..." She turned to me. "Al... Is it really okay for me to go?"

I scratched my head. "So, you're second-guessing yourself, even after all this. Can't say I wasn't expecting this, honestly. Look, Komaru, it's fine. I have Chiaki to help me, and as long as Nagisa upholds his end of the bargain, I should be able to evacuate the innocents. My job will be over in no time. If you want to leave, just hand me the Hacking Gun. I'll take care of the rest."

Suddenly, before she could respond, a new voice cried out from the edge of the courtyard. "Oh my! Seems like I made it just in time!"

I thought the Chiaki reveal would be the last time I saw a familiar but unexpected face in this city. I was wrong. The man who approached us may have been wearing different clothes, and had some odd face-paint, but it was undeniable who he was...

"Man that was close." He wiped his brow. "Truly a last-minute save."

"You? Why are you here?" Nagisa asked, clearly as startled as the rest of us.

He didn't respond at first, scanning our group. His gaze briefly paused on Komaru, but continued until it fell on Chiaki. "So... it's true. I almost didn't trust the video feed, so I had to see it for myself... But it's true. You're alive." He laughed his signature crazy-laugh, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"...Nagito..." She said quietly.

"What amazing hope! I can't remember the last time I felt hope this powerful! So bright... It's almost enough to burn away all of my despair!"

"Nagito... are you okay?" She asked. It was obvious from her tone she knew he wasn't.

"No!" He admitted. "No, I'm not. After you, well... after what happened to you... Everyone was so broken, we didn't know what to do with ourselves! But that's why this is so great! Don't you get it? This just proves that hope always triumphs over despair!"

"Enough of this!" Nagisa suddenly interrupted. "I asked you a question, servant, and I expect an answer! Why are you here?"

Without bothering to wipe his tears, Nagito turned to the boy. "Ah, I let my personal issues interrupt my plans. How embarrassing. Why am I here...? To persuade her to stay, of course. So that our boring and common protagonist who has no distinct characteristics doesn't just quit."

"...Huh?" Komaru jumped when she realized he was now talking about her.

"Komaru Naegi... Though you are "normal," not an Ultimate, or even a part of Future Foundation... I really do think quite poorly of the idea that you would abandon your friends and run off alone. Are you really going to just run away like this? Is your conscience clear?" As he spoke, he slowly moved closer to her until he was up in her face. I slowly drew my baton, without turning it on.

"Stop it!" Nagisa demanded. "What are you saying!? She's about to leave for good!"

"That would be quite bothersome for me, y'know? That is why I must convince her to stay."

"...Huh?"

"It would be disappointing if she did not see the game through to the end. How it was meant to be."

"D-Don't just go speaking your mind without permission! You're a servant! Listen to me! In order to see our paradise, this girl cannot stay here!"

He finally turned to the little boy. "So then I must ask, which is more important to the Warriors of Hope? Paradise or the game?"

"Wh-What are you talking about? It's obviously-"

"The game, of course."

"What?"

"You're a smart one, you must be at least vaguely aware. Otherwise, you wouldn't be sneaking about. You _could _have openly proposed a halt to these slayings, to focus entirely on building paradise. And the reason you did not do exactly that, and are instead going behind their backs... Is because you realize your favorite Miss Mage would choose the game over paradise. Do you know what you call someone who behaves like you're behaving?" He spread his arms casually. "...A traitor."

Nagisa backed up, speechless for a moment. "You're wrong... I care about them more than anyone... They all have high hopes for me... I mean, I am the leader..."

"Nagisa..." He shook his head. "Isn't it best if you just calm down a little? You can leave the rest to me. Okay? I really think you should."

"...D-Dammit!" Tears streamed down Nagisa's face as he ran away.

Chiaki winced at Nagito's harsh behaviour. He simply turned back to us now that he had us alone.

"Nagito..." I spat. "I never would've guessed that you had a finger in this pie, too."

"Oh, Al, you remember me! Though, I guess that's not too surprising, considering your... _condition_."

I straightened my back so I stood over him. My glare was enough to tell him to shut up. There was enough confusion going around without me having to explain my true origins to Chiaki and Komaru.

He waved me off. "Either way, I must admit, I am a little disappointed. When I heard that she was his little sister, I was intrigued..."

"His...?" Komaru started. "Makoto? Do you know him?"

"Now listen, since I planned the game out this far... I would like it to be completed. Of course, perhaps I am being somewhat unfair to you, Komaru. Rather, the one who disappointed me was Albert."

The attention turned to me. I squinted. "What are you talking about...?"

"Consider this," He turned back to Komaru. "When you first arrived at the hospital on your parachute, did you know why Albert turned up there? He came to save you because he was told where you would be landing. How else could you possibly explain such a contrived encounter?"

I blinked. "You were the one who sent that anonymous tip? But why?"

He ignored me and focused on Komaru. "I went through considerable trouble making sure you would complete this little game. Returning the Hacking Gun you had lost, having the Monokuma Kids deliver items... That was me. Consider it "game balance," as they say. You've thought about it before, I'm sure. Why enemies conveniently drop items, why the path you must travel on to advance is always clear... The game began as a way for the children to have fun, but it was also a game to help you grow. And I am the one who made it that way."

"Wh-Why me...?" Komaru asked.

"Hm? You mean, why was I so particular about choosing you? Well, that is all your brother's fault, of course."

"Makoto?"

"He defeated Junko Enoshima, the one I truly hate... And I wasn't there to witness it. That's why, this time around... I wanted to see the action up close. And not only that. Unlike him, an Ultimate, you are a normal girl who can't do anything... Almost like Albert."

"That's why you chose me as her escort, specifically?" I asked.

"Well, that, and I knew your sense of responsibility wouldn't allow you to betray your duty." He smirked. "But yes, you two are particularly compelling. Her brother, a hero, a Symbol of Hope. The little sister, utterly boring by comparison... If someone like you were to stand against despair... that would bring hope to the people. This was already seen in Albert, when he was able to stand against Junko Enoshima despite his boring, talentless self. Hope is exclusively found on the side of the weak. The losing side. People are touched by underdog stories. Slaying Goliath, the weaker team winning a game... The majority of society is made up of the weak and untalented. They are inspired by such tales."

"Wh-What are you saying?" Komaru asked.

"If my assumptions are right...You will release a light even brighter than his. And in order for that to happen, I need you to participate in my game. Through the game, you will grow, defeat the Final Boss, and become the hope for this town. That's why it would be quite disappointing if you give up halfway through." He started laughing his twisted laugh. "Please! Save this town from despair! Show me your dazzling light of hope to crush despair!"

"What do you mean? I'm... hope? I don't understand what you mean at all..."

A moment passed, and he shook his head. "Ah, I see, so you still don't understand. I blame myself, I should have been more enthusiastic. But regardless... I truly do believe in you. No matter how big the despair... Hope will always win in the end." He gestured to Chiaki as if she proved his point. "That is why I feel no remorse becoming despair myself."

"Nagito...!" Chiaki gasped.

"Y-You're just as crazy as those kids..." Komaru accused. "You must be insane!"

"Who cares about me? The more important thing is what you three are going to do now. You three symbols of hope. Chiaki, who survived against Junko Enoshima herself. Albert, who helped the Ultimates of class 78 defeat Junko Enishima. And Komaru, who can act as a true symbol for the normal population. What will you do? What will you choose?"

"I... don't think I see how this changes anything." I said. "My mission is still to rescue the innocents. And... Komaru really has no reason to do what you say. All you've really revealed is that you see us as symbols of hope, and you tricked me into coming here to help her, something I probably would've done anyway even without the tip. Big whoop?"

"Well, I suppose when you put it like that, you being here really doesn't have a purpose. That is, as long as you don't mind losing Byakuya..."

"...What did you say...?"

"Having a hostage brings all kinds of options to the table, wouldn't you agree? For instance, we could make sure nobody interrupts our plans... or I could use the hostage as a bargaining chip."

I advanced on him, grabbing the chain attached to the metal collar around his neck. "Where are you keeping him, you bastard?"

He laughed. "If you want to find out, you better convince Miss Komaru to stay."

"I have other ways to make you talk." I shoved him to the ground and pulled out my baton, switching it on. "Funny thing about this toy, unlike the Hacking Gun, it doesn't just work on machines. It can break people, too."

"Al, wait..." Behind me, Chiaki's voice had a pleading tone.

"Torture, huh?" He seemed intrigued rather than fearful. "Go ahead and try. I won't break."

I knew he was right. I could see it in his eyes. He wouldn't let anything compromise his plan, not even himself.

I had to make a decision. Unfortunately, there weren't many options. I hated dealing with the crazies. They always have a way to give me an ultimatum. I glanced between Chiaki and Komaru, closed my eyes, and settled my gaze back onto Nagito. Finally, I decided "...Komaru... run. Go, get out of here."

"Huh?" She seemed surprised at my answer.

Nagito seemed disappointed. "Well, that is completely understandable. But are you really okay with this...? If Miss Komaru runs away, the safety of the hostage cannot be guaranteed..."

"Shut up." I demanded. "I can sort that out myself. Komaru... Get out of here. Byakuya wouldn't forgive me if I let a civilian die in his place. And I can... I can find a way to save him. There has to be a way..."

"I'm not going anywhere." Chiaki reminded me. "This is... my responsibility, too. It's my fault Nagito is doing this. I have to help you, to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone ever again."

I nodded slowly. "I understand... and I'll take whatever help I can get. Thanks." I paused. "Komaru? The clock's ticking. If you're going, go."

She hesitated. "B-But... what about you and Byakuya?"

"I said I'll find a way." I repeated. "I just have to deal with Nagito."

"You know... you're probably wasting your time. I mean, after all... You know you need to kill me." He stared up at me casually. "Byakuya's life is in danger as long as I'm alive. If you let her escape..."

I gripped my weapon tightly. If I let her escape... Nagito probably only has to say the word and Byakuya will be taken out. Damn. The only way to prevent that is by killing him, something everyone knows I'm completely against. He wants to make a murderer out of me... to drive me to despair... so that my hope will shine brighter. What a fucking psychopath.

My temper got the best of me. But just before I raised my weapon, Komaru said something. "I'll stay... if that's how it is." Everyone's attention snapped to her. "If I stay in the city and go with him, then it's fine, right?"

I took a moment to look for the right words. "...You picked a fine time to change your mind. What happened to all that whining about wanting to get out of here?"

"I still want to escape, I'm still scared even now, but you feel the same way, don't you?" She closed her eyes. "You were scared, too, but you tried to help me escape, and hid how afraid you really were inside, didn't you? There's no way I can run now, leaving you behind!"

"The only reason we're in this situation is because of me." I corrected. "Because this bastard wanted to make me a "stepping stone for hope." There are so many truths about me I've been lying to you about, and it almost brought me to the point of having to betray you."

"But you didn't." She said. She took my hand in hers. "And you're suffering from guilt, aren't you?... If you're hurting... you can tell me. I'm an unreliable, normal girl who can't do anything, but... I can at least do normal things, right? And it's normal... for a friend to help a friend. I'll... stay. No matter how much you say no, I will definitely stay with you, alright? I've... decided."

"Friends, huh...?" I glanced at Chiaki. I thought back to my friends. Hina, Byakuya, Celeste, Kyoko, Makoto... and of course, Chihiro. And... my mind wandered to the woman who was supposed to be standing here in my place. Toko Fukawa. I hardly knew her, and yet... finding her corpse was the first time I realized just how much impact my decisions had on the world. And yet... it was soon after that time when I first learned to accept help from my friends.

Friends help each other. The phrase "lone wolf" might sound cool, but in the wild, actual lone wolves tend to just... die off. Strength in numbers isn't just some motivational nonsense, it's supported by evidence both mathematically and in nature. And psychologically. It's been shown that having a friend or ally by your side makes pain and stress so much easier to bear. That's the way it always is.

I nodded to her. "Okay..." She let go of my hand. I turned to Nagito. "She might be staying, but make no mistake, we're not playing your game. I'm not a pawn, Nagito Komaeda. Especially not yours. I couldn't give two shits about your hope and despair bullshit. All I care about, the only thing I've ever cared about... were my friends. And right now, two of my friends have decided to help me sort this mess out, and save another one of my friends. So I can't hesitate now." I paused, gripping my weapon tighter. Then I quickly added "Also, you can't follow us. Sorry, Chiaki." Before swinging my weapon down to break one of Nagito's kneecaps.

"Al!" Chiaki snapped.

"I said I was sorry!" I quickly raised my hands in defence.

"You didn't have to go that far...! That's... overkill!"

"Look, he's got a shitload of kids on his side." I added. "They can take him back to base. He'll be fine. I just can't let him follow us."

She took a moment to calm down. Sighing, she decided "I... I guess you're right. But once evacuations are up, we need to find him and take him with us. As soon as possible."

"Yeah, of course."

Nagito, still on the ground, gripped his busted leg in agony. Through gritted teeth, he spat "If Komaru Naegi had run away, the hope of this city would have gone with her... To prevent that... A wound like this will not diminish my resolve... Though it does hurt."

"If you're still feeling chatty, answer my questions." I said. "How do I free Byakuya?"

"All you have to do is defeat the Final Boss. You save the princess after defeating the Final Boss, right?... In theory." And now he's making me think of Byakuya in a dress. Fuck you, Nagito.

"In theory...?" Komaru repeated.

"I was not the only one who came up with the plan to take you to the children's base." He answered. "I have a partner... But I'm not sure what they are planning, to be honest."

"Who is your partner?" Chiaki asked.

"There's no way I would tell you that. I have... already been disqualified from the game. But it'll be alright. No matter what kind of despair awaits you, hope will overcome it. The deeper and darker the despair... the brighter and more powerful the hope born from it."

"Yeah... you're crazy alright." Komaru said.

"I thought I told you to cut it out with that hope and despair bullshit." I warned.

"Anyway, all you need to do is progress forward. I will support you until the very end." He told us.

"So in order to get back Byakuya, we need to stop the children's rioting, right?" Komaru confirmed. "Then... I'll do it. There's no other choice... Right, Al?"

"Are you sure you're up for it?" I asked.

"There's no way I can accept leaving you behind." She assured me. "Thanks to you, I've come this far... And not just that... Maybe I'm not really attached to this town, but I _will _save my friend."

"Komaru..." I sighed, but silenced myself before I ruined the moment with a sarcastic remark.

"Oh, and one more thing... I have a little hint for you." Nagito added. "The building the children are using as a headquarters is called "Towa Hills." Marching in there with just the three of you would be a bit... suicidal. Monokumas have dug in all around Towa Hills. Even you three would have trouble with that many."

"Then what do we do?" Chiaki asked.

"Well... we could ask for help." Komaru suggested. "From Shirokuma and Haiji."

"Their _help_, huh?" I let my tone speak for how helpful I think they'd be.

"They want to stop the children as much as we do!" She defended. "Shirokuma said it too. If we work together, everyone can be saved, and everyone's happy. Right?"

"How inspiring..." I deadpanned.

"But I think you and I can do it! It's going to be alright."

"Ah, such splendid growth... Your world has gradually grown wider..." Nagito said. "As expected of his little sister. My judgement was indeed correct. Ah, that reminds me. The Resistance base is in the sewers, correct? In that case, there should be an entrance to the subway if you go through the business district. As I recall, there was a blue building... If you move through there, you'll reach the base."

"Those are some oddly specific directions." I noted. "Is this also part of your scheme? Gonna ambush us?"

"I would prefer that you think of it as "support." It _is _information that will help you..."

I brushed him off. "Whatever. It doesn't matter what your plan is. I refuse to trade one life for another. I'll save everyone I can... Even if it costs me my life." I muttered the last part as I turned to walk away. Chiaki and Komaru followed me.

"...Do your best. Defeat despair." Nagito barely muttered behind us. I swore I could hear his twisted laughter as we left the shrine.

* * *

**Nagito's plot has been revealed, the plot to convince Albert to force Komaru to stay by using Byakuya as a hostage. Of course, if you've been paying attention to Albert's characterization, you would know that a decision like this isn't an easy one for him. So I think it's a nice sign when he only hesitates slightly before deciding to complete the mission. I wasn't gonna have him act like Toko and try to battle Komaru. That just doesn't fit him, in my eyes. Also, the fact that he isn't horny for Byakuya probably helps his judgement a bit.**

**Also, goodbye to Nagisa. It was nice to know him for... one and a half chapters. I'm also aware I skipped a couple optional conversations in this chapter, but it was long enough, and I knew the conversation would just end up repeating what they were already talking about. So in lieu of making Albert and Nagisa broken records, I decided to skip it.**

**In the next chapter, Albert and friends will once more attempt to convince Haiji and his friends to fight.**


	12. Chapter 11

**Sorry this one is late. My computer shit it's pants last week, and I've had to wait to get it fixed. But like I said in the last chapter, better late and good than bad forever.**

**Speaking of the last chapter, Albert and friends are planning to convince the Resistance to actually Resist something. Let's see how that works out for them.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

**Combine and Conquer**

"He said there's a subway entrance at the blue building in the business district, right?" Komaru recalled.

We had exited the shrine and were now back out onto the street.

I nodded. "Yeah, that sounds like the best place to head for now. Even if it's a trap, we'll be ready for it."

Suddenly, another kid with a Monokuma helmet came out of nowhere. We all reached for our weapons, but the kid just handed a small thumb drive to Komaru. When she inserted it into her gun, she gained access to BURN bullets.

"An upgrade?" Chiaki asked.

"Yeah." I nodded. "Burn bullets cause the targets cooling systems to shut off, and forces the machine to overheat. I think that's only gonna be useful for combat scenarios, but I guess that's still useful to have."

"...Yeah, you're right." Komaru agreed.

We walked another few feet before I heard the roaring of engines. Small engines, though, so not a car. Suddenly, three Monokumas showed up, flying with jetpacks, wearing helmets, and wielding flamethrowers. One of them turned to me and fired. Rather than spraying a short-ranged flame, a condensed ball of heat shot at me.

"Holy-!" I leaped out of the way. Komaru shot them rapid-fire with her new bullets, and the jetpacks they were strapped to exploded. I sighed. "It seems they're sending in the heavy artillery now. We'll have to be more careful."

"Yeah..." The girls agreed.

* * *

"The Conductor's 48 Hours." I read. "Odoriko Anaka, famous as the genius conductor, is regarded by the world as perfect, talented, extraordinary, and beautiful... However, she has a secret she keeps from them all... The pinnacle of lyrical sexual prose: a fluttering melody of suffering and sadism."

"This novel seems pretty... intense..." Komaru deduced.

"Some Fifty Shades of Grey-esque garbage." I agreed, tossing the book to her. I muttered "There's only one person I can think of who'd be into something like this..."

"So... why are we standing around judging a book by its cover?" Chiaki asked.

"Oh, this is like, tradition. Komaru and I've been doing this since we met at the hospital." I explained. "...For some reason..." I started walking so we'd at least be making progress.

Komaru flipped through some of the pages. "Is there really that big of a market for things like this?"

"What, BDSM? You'd be surprised. Though, from what I hear, it's not as freaky as the media likes to portray it."

She gave me a side glance. "Have you ever had an experience like that?"

"What? No! What kind of freak do you think I am?"

"I thought you just said it wasn't that freaky." Chiaki said.

"No, I'm not kink-shaming anyone, it's just..." Why are we having this conversation? I took a second to find the words. "I dunno, I don't like feeling pain, so I couldn't be the bottom. And if my partner ended up getting hurt, I'd feel really bad about it, so I couldn't trust myself to be the top. I'd prefer a fetish that's a little more... gentle."

"This probably isn't the best thing to be talking about when there are people to save." Chiaki pointed out.

"Yeah, we can talk about Al's freaky fantasies another time." Komaru agreed.

"I said I'm not freaky!"

* * *

"I wonder if those kids were also treated cruelly by their parents..." Komaru thought aloud. We were staring at a car with a couple of bodies scrunched under the wheels. Kids danced on top of the vehicle.

"Even if they were, it doesn't matter." I said. "They're still murderers. Just because their parents were evil doesn't give them a free pass to be, too."

"You're right... No matter the reason, this just... It's unforgivable." Komaru agreed.

"But isn't it a little strange?" Chiaki asked. "I mean, I can believe the leaders had horrible childhoods, but why would every single kid in the city be motivated to kill?"

"Well, my working theory is that those helmets have some sort of brainwashing technology in them." I explained. "As if it wasn't good enough to fill the city with automatons, they also had to turn a bunch of innocent children into fucking Goombas. Those Warriors of Hope make me sick."

"If they're being brainwashed, how can we help them?" She asked.

"Future Foundation likely has the tech necessary to take those helmets off. If not, the mastermind probably will. Of course, they'll still be crazy once we get them off, but... Well, we might be able to help them. I've been studying psychology, and we got the Ultimate Therapist back at base. Between Miaya and I, the kids might be able to return to something close to normal. The only issue is that they'll be orphaned..."

Komaru finally turned away from the bodies. "L-Let's keep moving, okay...?"

* * *

Down in the subway, we managed to find ourselves yet another novel. Komaru beamed when she recognized the cover.

_"The Bomb Inside Her 3"_

_"Yumi Kayakuda, the girl with a bomb in her womb, cannot love. And yet, she has chosen... I want to fall in love with Shota. If I can just fall deeper in love with him, I don't mind if this body of mine burns away. However, a new character who has feelings for Yumi appears: Motomoto Nikaido. "Your life isn't only yours!" "My love is only mine!" A charred body of love, or a living doll... Which fate will Yumi choose!? The 3rd volume of the fiery love story!"_

"The Bomb Inside Her?" Chiaki read. "I've never heard of it."

"What!?" Komaru was shocked. "It's like, required reading for high-school girls!"

"I see..." The gamer took the book and flipped through the first few pages.

I smirked. "You probably haven't heard of it since there's no video game adaptation."

"So, what's your impression, Al?" Komaru asked. "No snappy remark like for the first two?"

"No, I'll admit that it looks... pretty interesting. Especially since I can't guess how it ends. I don't picture them killing her off, but I doubt they'd end it without tying up the romance. I guess I'm gonna have to start from the first one, huh?" Though I still think this volume might be an allegory for marriage.

"You mean it!? You're actually gonna give it a try?" She asked, excited. "In that case, I'll try not to spoil the end for you! Oh, I tear up just thinking about it!"

"Somehow, that doesn't surprise me." I said, turning my attention to the doorway. There was a little kid standing next to another present. "Looks like we got another delivery."

"Y-Yeah..."

She opened the box, and got a thumb drive filled with LINK bullets.

"Link is actually where the Hacking Gun gets it's official name." I explained. "It allows you to assume direct control of a machine. It doesn't do damage, but it could be useful if we need it."

Komaru, as a test, shot a bomb Monokuma that was on the other end of a pit we needed to cross. She led it over to a wall that blocked our way, and made it blow it up. When we didn't need it anymore, we disposed of it. That... sounded less mean in my head. But it's a Monokuma, so fuck it.

It was then I noticed a woman in the corner of the room, holding a crowbar. I approached, but before I could say anything, she started laughing. "Haha, yes! I did it!"

"...What did you do...?" Komaru asked.

"I kill a child and destroyed a Monokuma all by myself! Towa is safe now! There's no need to hide anymore!"

"Y-You killed a kid?" I asked.

"You no longer need to worry about your families and friends being killed! You no longer need to see others killed! Hahaha, you should all be grateful! Cry in tears of joy that I've saved you all!"

"Hey!" I snapped. "You weren't serious just now, were you? Tell me you didn't actually-"

"My husband and daughter didn't die in vain! Thanks to them, I know Monokuma's weakness! Their deaths have been avenged!"

"She's completely delirious." I realized.

"I think it's best to just... leave her be." Komaru decided.

"I guess sometimes, it's better not to wake up from a dream." Chiaki said quietly.

* * *

Remember all those dumb minigame rooms the kids made for us?

Well, we found something similar, but the goal involved Komaru having to use the Hacking Gun to start a chain reaction with a bunch of bomb Monokumas. Nothing major. Except for the fact that at the end of the chain reaction, it ended up exploding the only support for a large part of the ground of the subway tunnel.

"Wait, what the- Oh, shit! SHIT!" Was my reaction when I realized what was happening and the ground started shaking. Luckily, our vantage point was stable, but I nearly had a heart attack at the thought of an earthquake trapping us down here.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Komaru marveled at the wanton destruction she had caused. "Al, look! Looks like we can get down now!"

I looked for what she was talking about before I realized she meant for us to go down the railway, which was bent when the ground fell and now went downward.

"C'mon, if we go down this ladder, we can get down to the sewers."

I wanted to point out that it wasn't a ladder, and likely wasn't stable, but I was just too tired. "Do you think Haiji and Shirokuma will even help us? Haiji accused us of working for the kids last time we saw him, so he might just take us prisoner again."

"Don't forget, you have me this time." Chiaki reminded me. "It's not like I have any influence with them, but I might be able to vouch for your innocence."

"Besides, if we explain ourselves, I'm sure they'll understand!" Komaru said. "We have the same goal! We all want to stop those out-of-control kids, right? And if it's for that cause, I bet they'll lend us a hand. And they'll rescue Byakuya, too!"

"I doubt it." I scoffed. "They'll be too busy trying to fit their heads between their knees to actually do anything."

"It will be fine!" She insisted. "I'm more of a coward than they are, but I'm still doing my best!"

I eyed her. More of a coward, huh? "Somehow, I doubt that, too. But fine, if you insist, let's keep moving."

* * *

As we neared the entrance to the base, I noticed a lot of Monokuma kids hanging around. Probably not a good sign.

We rushed inside, but a bunch of Monokumas had already beaten us there. They were absolutely decimating the adult forces. Well, maybe "forces" is a strong word, since they weren't fighting at all. They were just getting slaughtered.

I growled as I pulled out my baton. "I'd like to say I'm surprised they didn't relocate their base, but somehow I completely expected it."

"What's happening!?" Komaru shouted.

"Al! Chiaki! Komaru!" Shirokuma ran up to greet us. "Ah, I'm so glad you guys came!"

"What... is going on here?" Komaru asked.

"A huge group of Monokumas ambushed us... Please, please help us! If this keeps up, this secret base is going to be totally wiped out."

"There's not a second to lose!" I said. Someone a few feet away from us got slashed by a Monokuma, and slumped to the ground. "C'mon, we need to hurry!" I ran over to fight the Monokuma, and Chiaki and Komaru ran to follow.

* * *

When the last machine exploded, the three of us met up back at the middle of the base.

"Looks like... it's all over..." Komaru said in between breaths.

"Y-Yeah... you're right." Chiaki agreed.

"...No. Not yet." Shirokuma ran over to us. "They want to destroy us all. They won't stop after this. They never will."

"More...?" I muttered under my breath. "I don't know if I can keep this up..."

Shirokuma was silent for a moment. Finally, it said "Um... I have a little proposition of you. Will you hear me out?"

"What kind?" I asked.

"The enemies aren't attacking from the front, but from the hole at the back of the base." It explained. "To hold out against the enemy attack, we have to find some way to block the hole."

"Block the hole? But how?" Komaru asked.

"To tell you the truth, high explosives are packed inside my body in case of emergency."

"You mean in a suicide attack?"

"But my self-destruct button was damaged in battle. I can't do it on my own. So... there's no choice but to ask you to do it."

"What, blow up?" I asked.

"He means... he wants Komaru to shoot him." Chiaki realized.

"N-No! I can't to it!" Komaru shouted.

"But this is the only way to save everyone." It insisted. "I'm scared too... But it will be alright. It feels strange, but thinking about saving everyone... gives me courage. Maybe that's not saying much, coming from an AI inside a Monokuma... But it's the truth! And if it's for everyone's lives, then I'm not scared at all! So please!"

"B-But..." Komaru tried to argue.

"Bad news!" A random adult shouted. "The Monokumas are coming through the hole in the back again!"

Shirokuma turned toward us. "I beg you, please! Take me to the hole and let me save everyone!"

Reluctantly but hurriedly, we all started running to the back, with Shirokuma in the lead. I remembered the way because it was the same way we took when we were getting captured. No harsh feelings about that, though.

"Komaru, Al... I leave the rest to you." Shirokuma told us as we ran. Somehow, I suspected he meant more than just the part about killing him, but I didn't say anything.

At the end of the hall, I could see a massive hole in the concrete wall, and I could hear approaching forces on the other end.

"Komaru! Now's your chance! Shoot me!" The white bear insisted.

She started tearing up. "No, n-no, I can't... I can't do it..." I was about to just tell her to hand me the gun, but Shirokuma interrupted.

"Komaru... No matter how scared you are, there are times that you _have _to fight. There are times you _need _to stand up. Times you _can't _be afraid of death. Do it, before we lose something important!"

My eyes widened. That was... surprisingly profound. Those were the kind of words my past self needed to hear, back when the first killing game started.

"Shirokuma..." Komaru sniffled.

"But... if you still can't..." The bear hesitated a moment, before reaching up. It slowly unraveled the bandage around its face, revealing its red eye. Then, it bared its claws. "I-I'm gonna kill you!" Shirokuma threatened as best it could.

Komaru gasped. It started waddling toward us. "C'mon, shoot me! Shoot me, Komaru!"

With a sob, Komaru aimed straight for his red eye. With a single shot, Shirokuma started jerking back toward the hole. Sparks flew and electricity arced around it. "Th-Thank... you..."

With that, a deafening explosion blew out of him. I felt a powerful shock wave blow me back before I hit my head on the ground with a sickening crack.

* * *

When I woke, I was laying on the ground in front of the conference room. I pushed myself off the cold ground. My head was pounding. "Ugh... What the hell...?"

"You're awake." Chiaki noticed. "You two were knocked out by the explosion."

I noticed Komaru next to me. She was looking around. "Um... where's Shirokuma!? What happened to him?"

Chiaki gave her a look of sympathy. "The explosion managed to block the hole. Shirokuma's sacrifice saved everyone here."

"Sacrifice...? Then that means..."

I eyed the ground. "Jeez, and I was starting to actually respect the little thing. Maybe... he was more than just a killing machine. More than just a Monokuma..." Why was it such a common thing for AIs to sacrifice themselves? Well, this is the first time I'm seeing it in person, at least.

"To break out of jail and come back here... You have some courage." The pleasant voice of Haiji told us as he approached.

"Well, I wasn't gonna run away." I told him. "Even if most of the people here are assholes, I got a job to do. And, uh, you're welcome for saving you and all that."

"Most of the thanks goes to Shirokuma... Though I'm willing to acknowledge the you're not spies." Oh, fuck you.

"That's all you're acknowledging, huh? Prick."

He rolled his eyes. "Now's not the time for this kind of argument! Thanks to Shirokuma, we're out of danger for now... But the problem's far from solved."

"What's going on?" Komaru asked.

"The hole those brats opened is closed now, but we have Monokumas at the front entrance. We can hold them off for a little while, but if this keeps up..."

"So we're running out of time..." Komaru finished.

He shook his head in frustration. "Dammit, do they really intend to destroy this base at any cost?"

I began pacing. "Why wouldn't they? This place has the biggest concentration of adults in this city. A great place to rack up a body count..." I turned to him. "So, what are you gonna do? Wait for an opportunity to strike?"

Chiaki shook her head. "If we don't do something fast..."

"...I know. I know." Haiji assured us.

"...No matter how scared you are, there are times when you have to fight." Komaru muttered.

"Hm?" Haiji's attention turned to her.

"There are times when you need to stand up... and not be afraid of death. We have to do something before we lose something important!"

She looked around, then turned to me. "Al, lend me your hand!"

"Uh... For what...?" I asked.

Turns out, when she said "lend me your hand," she meant "let me climb over you." With my help, she was able to climb on top of the production truck in the center of the base.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Haiji asked.

Komaru looked around the base. She put her hands around her mouth and shouted "Um! Please, listen up!"

As a crowd gathered around, Chiaki leaned toward me. "Um... So, what is she doing?"

"I don't know." I whispered back. "I didn't plan this."

"U-Um... Um... I... don't have any talent... I'm just a normal girl, not special or anything..." She started. "And I know you guys don't have any reason to listen to someone like me... B-But, well... ah, how do I put it...? There's something I want to say... B-Because I'm a normal girl with no talent... ummm... Ah, I-I'm sorry, I really don't know how to put it..."

"You good?" I asked quietly from my spot in the crowd.

"Al! What do I do?" She asked.

"Why do people keep asking me that?" I snapped. "I don't know! Why don't you tell me why you're up there?"

"Yeah I... I don't really know..." She admitted nervously.

I sighed. "Okay, well... I dunno, just speak from the heart. That's what I do when I make a lame speech. Say what you feel, and don't worry what everyone thinks. As long as you mean it, it'll reach them. And don't forget, I got your back."

"Al... Y-Yeah." She turned back to address the crowd. "I... I'm just like everyone here. I got caught up in something I didn't understand at all, and I couldn't do anything... So I... I guess I'll just say to you what I wish I said to myself... Hey! How much longer are you going to be just another victim!? You're "normal," you're "weak"... How much longer are you going to use those damn excuses!? You're just happy to be a victim and ignore everything around you! Are you really okay with that, you coward!? Talent or whatever, that doesn't even matter. No matter how much talent or power you have, you can't avoid being scared or hurt! You let everyone else handle things that scare you and say, "I can't help it, I'm normal"... Are you really going to stay that way forever!? Maybe you can't help being normal... But you can't keep using that as an excuse! If you do..." Tears started streaming down her cheeks. "If you do, someday... You're gonna lose something that's important to you, y'know? And after that... it'll be too late! It's obvious that we're all afraid... I'm just as scared as you are... But even though I'm afraid... I know I made the right decision. To stay here, with Albert. Because if I just went and left him... I think I would have regretted it... I, along with Al and everyone here, want a happy ending! A proper happy ending that's super cliche and predictable, where everyone's smiling... So please... Please, let's make that ending happen! Let's stand up against this despair together!" After a moment, she gave a small bow. "...Th-That's it... That's all I have to say... Sorry for being so loud..."

As the crowd dispersed, only Chiaki, Haiji, and I were left standing by the truck.

"Hey, Haiji." I said. "You just got fucking told."

He started walking away. "...Wait here. I'm going to make some preparations."

"...For...?"

"Well, I have a trump card... And I might as well bet the house on it."

I turned to Chiaki. "A trump card...? Why didn't he mention this sooner?"

She shrugged just as Komaru made her way down to meet us. "Ugh, Al... I feel like one of those lame kids who try to motivate everyone and fail completely..."

"Eh, don't be too hard on yourself. Every protagonist needs to make their first speech eventually. I wouldn't have written it any better." I assured her. "...Though my first speech was definitely better than yours, in my opinion."

"But it looks like you were able to motivate everyone." Chiaki pointed out. I adjusted my glasses. Everyone did seem a lot more lively. Some people actually approached us.

"...You inspired me." A man said. "I never expected you to start a speech like that."

"Oh, I'm sure I'll try to forget this ever happened later..." Komaru said.

"But... Y'know, you might be right, after all." Another man said.

"Wait, wait!" I interrupted. "What's that you got there?" I pointed at a woman who was holding the head of Shirokuma.

"What, this? It's Shirokuma, of course."

"Komaru and Al! Thank you for earlier!" His severed head said. "And your speech just now was splendid, too!"

"Shirokuma! You're alive!?" Komaru shouted.

"The only thing left is my head, but my AI chip is in there, safe and sound! It's a miracle!" He explained. "Hehe, it's not exactly a triumphant resurrection, but here I am, nonetheless."

Komaru was still stunned. "I heard you sacrificed yourself, so I thought..."

I turned to Chiaki. She was thinking. "I, um... probably could have worded that a little better. But then Haiji interrupted us, so..."

"But I'm relieved." Komaru said, sighing. "If you're alive, then everything's fine!"

"Yep. Looks like you made that shitty speech for nothing." I remarked.

"Was it that bad!?"

"No, no, it was great!" Shirokuma assured her. "I feel like you gave everyone a little light of hope... But it's still a small light... In order to make it grow, we need to do something more..."

At that moment, Haiji returned, and a lot of the adults backed off. "Hey, the preparation's done. We gotta hurry and get out of here."

"Get out of here...?" Komaru repeated.

"So, you're finally gonna do something?" I asked.

"Is it true, Haiji!?" Shirokuma asked excitedly.

"...It's all thanks to you, Shirokuma." He said. "You risked your life for us... I finally realize what I need to do. So thanks, bear."

"H-Haiji!"

The man turned toward us. "From here on, I want you to follow me to a certain place. It's where our game-changing trump card is hidden. But it's not gonna be easy. You guys better prepare yourselves... Well, I guess I hardly have to tell _you _that. I'll be waiting for you at the entrance."

He walked off. I started thinking. "Okay, well, before we leave, I need to drop off some of these Hit Lists to Hiroko. Other than that, though, I think we're all good. Though... I would feel better if I had a way of making sure preparations here are running smoothly. We don't know when we'll be getting back from this trip."

"Yeah, I think that's a good idea." Chiaki agreed. "I'll stay behind."

"Are you sure...?" I asked.

She nodded. "I'm pretty good at strategy and resource management games. And I know how to fight the Monokumas, so if we're attacked again, it won't be the end of the world. Just... try to hurry, okay?"

"Yeah, of course." I hesitated for a second, but moved in and hugged her. "Stay alive. Please."

She returned it. "I will. You be careful, too. We don't know what you might find out there."

"Yeah. I'll be careful." There wasn't much more to say. We separated, and said our goodbyes as we went our separate ways.

Shirokuma turned to follow her, but gave us one last look. "Good luck, you two. You might need it."

"I don't need luck." I scoffed, thinking of Nagito. "But thanks. You... You're alright, Shirokuma."

He beamed, as if it was the best thing anyone had ever said about him. "Thank you!" He quickly followed after Chiaki.

Now that we were alone, I turned to Komaru. "Let's go see Hiroko, huh?"

"Yeah, let's go."

* * *

**There we go. I'll be honest, I went back and forth a bit on whether or not Chiaki should stick with the group as they went to the next area. But ultimately, I decided this is Komaru's story. And Chiaki doesn't really have any connection to Komaru, she was just helping Albert. So now, when Albert and Komaru have the help they need, Chiaki should be focusing on the rest of the people. She strikes me as the kind of person who could inspire hope into people.**

**Also, I feel like Albert and Komaru's interactions with Haiji will be sufficiently humorous (if that's the word you wanna use), and having a four-player party feels like a little much to me. We'll see how there little field trip goes.**

**In the next chapter, we'll see what Haiji's "trump card" is...**


	13. Chapter 12

**Not a lot to say about this chapter. Some Hit Lists, an important conversation, and traveling to the next area. We're certainly building up to something, though. I mean, obviously. Could you imagine if I just kept building up the climax but also kept stalling, never concluding the story? That would be hilarious.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

**Secrets and Trust**

As we walked up to Hiroko Hagakure, I noticed she seemed in a good mood. Once we were in talking distance, she started. "Yup, you guys are just like I thought you'd be. Thanks to you two, the atmosphere of this place has really brightened up. It was creepy before..."

"Really?" Komaru asked, looking around. "I don't think we made this place any brighter..."

"It's a figure of speech..." I explained. "She's saying you and Shirokuma have raised everyone's spirits."

"Exactly right, Al! You're good at explainin' stuff." She complimented. "Anyways, thanks guys."

"Shirokuma deserves the most thanks..." Komaru said.

"Maybe... but you were pretty courageous yourself, y'know?"

"Well... if you say so. Thank you."

"There, was that so hard? But I gotta say, compared to your sad face, you're much cuter like this." The older woman noted. Then she seemed to notice me again. "Oh, right. Did you find any more of these lists of people with wristbands?"

"Quite a few." I pulled out a stack of papers and handed them to Komaru to pass along. Though, the paper on the top of the stack caught my eye. "You were a nurse?"

"Didn't I tell you?" She asked, taking her own Hit List from Komaru. "I might not look like it, but I used to work day and night in that uniform. I had a reputation in the hospital that my blood-drawing skills never missed a vein."

"A nurse who's a former delinquent. Hilarious."

"Well anyway, the bit about the "son"..." Komaru pointed to the paper. "Do you have a son, Miss Hagakure?"

"Yeah, one. Little older than you two. Proud of him, a very successful boy."

"You sure about that...?" I muttered.

"Hm? Did you say something, Al?" Komaru asked.

"Nothing. Just thinking about... what a great mother you must've been." I lied.

"He's a sharp boy. Handsome, tall, kind..." One of those is true, and only by Japanese averages. "If he didn't come out of me, I wouldn't believe he was my own kid!"

"Thank you for that image." I said.

"But even if my son _is _perfect, something has been bugging me... It's just a small thing, but... He's just a teeny, eentsy bit clumsy with money. He's in debt." She admitted.

"Well if he's so successful, he should be able to pay off his debt right away, right?" Komaru asked.

"Oh, and he also repeated middle and high school about 4 times." She added.

"W-Well... I've heard that... really smart kids don't always do well in school..." Komaru said. Which is true.

"Oh yeah, and he's also just terrible with women..." Hiroko said, putting another nail in the coffin.

"Oh I'm sure he's... popular...?" Komaru assured her.

"Yeah, he is pretty hard to defend, isn't he?" I asked.

"Well, those flaws are kinda cute too, in a way." She defended.

"Figured you'd say that. Well, let nobody say you're a bad mom, at least." I turned to Komaru, who was pulling out the next Hit List. I didn't recognize the girl's surname, so I didn't know who she was related to.

Komaru must've, though. "C-Could it be...? Yeah, it totally is! There's no mistaking it, this has to be her!"

"Who?" I asked.

"Ayaka Haneyama... It's Ayakasu!"

"Ayakasu? You know her, Koko?" Hiroko asked.

"Not personally... She's Ayakasu, the iron guardian deity from that national idol group! You don't recognize her? Her catchphrase is, "Rock you like Ayakasu!"" She explained. Rock you? Don't idols mostly do pop? Although I would totally be down for a rock idol group. Also, now it's pretty obvious who's captive she is...

"Ah, I remember!" Hiroko recalled. "I saw her on T.V. before. That idol group with Sayaka at the center..." There it is.

"Right, Sayaka's group..." I said. With a smirk, I added "Well, I guess musicians aren't the worst on the list of jobs involving robbing gullible idiots. Politicians, for example."

"Hey! Did you just make fun of Sayaka!?" Komaru snapped.

"No." I defended. I hate speaking ill of the dead. "I was making fun of her fanbase."

"Pick on me as much as you want, but don't you dare pick on my favourite idol!" She warned.

"Your favourite, huh?" I guess she wasn't the Ultimate Idol for no reason.

"If you must know... I'm a Sayaker." She said proudly.

"Please tell me that's not a widely recognized title." It sounds almost as bad as a Belieber.

"Sayaka has over 100 million fans! That's what we call ourselves, Sayakers. I shouldn't have to tell you that you do _not _want to make enemies of us!"

"So... what kind of things do these "Sayakers" do, anyway?" Hiroko asked.

"Well, nothing specific..." She admitted. "We're just people who like Sayaka and cheer for her. In my case, I buy CDs and merch with my monthly allowance... And guess what! Sayaka and Makoto went to the same middle school! Isn't that amazing?"

"He... may have mentioned it." I muttered. "And it doesn't sound contrived at all."

"But anyway, what is Ayakasu doing in a place like this?" Komaru wondered. "Miss Hagakure! I put my faith in you! For Sayakers everywhere!"

She took a drag off her cigarette. "...Well, I'll do my best..."

"Sounds like a lot of people are counting on you." I said with a smirk as Komaru passed the next Hit List.

Hiroko stared at it for a moment before turning it toward us so we could see. "This... is a cat, right? I'm not going crazy, am I?"

"Nope, that's... definitely a cat." Komaru confirmed.

"Indeed it is." I agreed.

"Well... shit. I never thought a _cat _would end up a target." She remarked.

"It just goes to show that those kids don't care what they're killing, as long as they think it'll further their cause." I said.

"And check out that name. Grand Bois-something... That's one hell of a name."

"Grand Bois Cheri Ludenberg." I read in my finest French accent. "Ludenberg... Well, only she would name her cat something so stupid." Celeste's closest friend was a freaking cat. I actually feel kinda bad for her.

"Do you... know who owns this cat?" Hiroko asked.

I sighed. "Yeah, actually, I do. Would you mind sending someone over? I'm hardly on good standing with her, but she'd really never forgive me if I let something happen to the poor thing."

She nodded. "Well, even if it's a cat, I can't just let the kids get it. I'll send someone over." Komaru handed her the next Hit List, for a man named Aloysius Pennyworth. "Jeez... "annoying, old, creepy, gross"... They were even more cruel than usual this time. He's probably just a faithful servant to his Young master..."

Komaru started thinking. "I wonder if the kids think like... The older they are, the bigger the enemy?"

"Probably something like that." I considered. "And speaking of people who my friends would hate me if I let die, he's Byakuya's butler, huh?"

She puffed her cig. "You're friends with Byakuya Togami? Talk about having friends in high places."

"Well, he's a little touchy about his family name since... they kinda lost influence." I explained. "But yeah, I know the old guy's probably nearing his end, but if you could save him, I'd owe you."

"Just leave it to us, it's not a problem."

"Thanks. I appreciate it."

"Th-Th-Th-That's impossible!" Komaru suddenly shouted.

"What!? What the fuck!?" I asked.

"This woman! It says she's the author of "Tara Spa"!" She shouted, holding up a Hit List for a woman named Fujiko Yamada.

"Tarasupa?" I repeated. "The hell's that?"

"It says she's a manga artist, so it must be the title of a manga, right?" Hiroko guessed.

"Not just any manga!" Komaru said. "A manga masterpiece! The drawings of food are so well done, it's said that reading it will make you start to drool!"

"Yeah, I feel like I saw my son reading it..." Hiroko recalled.

"So Teacher Second Fry was just a pen name for this woman... What a shocking scoop!" Komaru announced.

"I think I'd be more surprised if that were her actual name." I muttered.

"This is big news! Huge news! The end of the century is the next generation of space wars!" Komaru said. It was at this point I decided to check out of the conversation. I read her description. Apparently, she likes to draw naked boys. Delicious food and naked manga boys. Looks like I have another series to get into after I read "The Bomb" series. Now I'm just curious why Hiro would be reading something like that, though.

"Well if she's that famous, I kinda wanna meet her." Hiroko said. "If there's an opportunity, I'll be sure to get an autograph."

"Th-Thank you very much! Oh, but make sure it isn't addressed to me! That will make the value go way down!"

"Well, that's that." I cut in. "We better get going. Even if you bring those people here, they're still in danger. Komaru and I have to do something in order to save all of us."

"Yeah, that's right!" Komaru agreed.

"Well, don't let me keep you." She told us. "If you're going, get going."

We started walking off. I stopped and turned to her once more. "And, Hiroko? I mean it, I really do appreciate this."

She gave me a wink. "Anytime. In situations like this, we all gotta stick together, right?"

"Right." With that in mind, I headed off. So we could stick together with Haiji. I could hardly contain my excitement.

* * *

We were approaching the entrance, where Haiji was waiting. Before we reached him, though, I slowed down. "Hey, Komaru?"

"Yeah?" She stopped and turned back to me.

"...I know we're in a bit of a hurry, but... Do you want to talk for a moment?"

"...About what?" She asked.

I closed my eyes. "I never really... gave you much respect. I always viewed you as a liability rather than a fellow survivor. So, for that, I'm sorry."

"That's okay. Really. I mean, it's like I'm always saying, right? I'm just a normal girl."

"Yeah, well, my apology was only the start. Because I saw you as a liability, I never thought it was worth it to tell you the truth. About me. But after you decided to stay to help me... risking your life in the process... It's only right that you know."

"The truth? About you?"

"It wouldn't be right to call it a secret, since I confessed it during the killing game, so anyone who saw the broadcasts would know it. I've been lucky that no one in the city has recognized me so far, 'cause that'd be awkward. But the point is, there's more to my past than what I've been telling you."

She quirked an eyebrow. "...Okay? So, what is it?"

"It's hard to explain. You probably won't believe me. My closest friends didn't believe me at first, and I had a lot more evidence on-hand at that time." I scratched my head. "I guess I'll just come out and say it, though. During the killing game, I had already known what events were supposed to transpire, and my actions changed them."

"...Huh?"

"My friends, Chihiro and Celeste, were supposed to die, but I managed to save them. In their place, however, I ended up letting two other classmates die. One was Yasuhiro Hagakure..."

"Hagakure? Wait, that's..."

"And the other... was a girl named Toko Fukawa."

"H-Hang on, wait a second!" She snapped. "You can't just say something like that and keep talking like everything's okay!"

"Sorry." I chuckled. "I'm just sort of numb to the shock of it all, myself. I mean, it was a few months ago. Well, years, but I didn't know that at first."

"So, wait, how did you know about future events?" She asked. "Was it like, clairvoyance or something?"

"Oh, no, the answer is much simpler." I assured her. "You see, I'm not from this world. I was brought here by the Ultimate Physicist, Toshihide Tomonaga."

She stared at me, confusion plain across her face.

"Yeah, that's the reaction I expected. And, in my home universe, there was a game series. I think I mentioned it to you, it was called "Danganronpa." That game covered the events of the killing game, which was how I knew what would happen. Because I played the game."

"...Are you... making fun of me?" She asked.

I sighed. "That's also the reaction I expected. No, I'm not making fun of you. Those are my origins, as convoluted as they might be. I didn't want you to be distracted by such a... bullshit story, but I felt you needed to know."

"So... in your world... you're saying I'm just a character in a video game?" I could hear the existential dread in her voice.

"Yep. But I'll tell you the same thing that I told my other friends. There are supposedly infinite universes out there, so there definitely exists universes out there where I'm a video game character, too. When you start looking at things at such a cosmic scale, it's probably best to just not think about it too hard." That was probably why Toshihide was so detached. He _had _to think hard about that stuff. He was a quantum physicist, it was his job, his passion.

"O-Okay..." She said.

"You have a lot of questions, don't you?" I asked. She nodded. "I've had to answer them all at one point or another. Just try to go through the easier ones first, so you don't blow your own mind."

She thought for a moment. "Okay... So, you weren't in those games, right? Since that would be weird. So, who would have saved me, back at the hospital?"

"I never played your game." I admitted. "But promotional material told me that your partner would've been Toko Fukawa, the Ultimate Writing Prodigy."

"The girl who died at Hope's Peak?" She recalled. "That's horrible... she sounds like a nice person."

"She had a lot of flaws." I said. "Flaws that I focused a little too much on before her passing. I don't like looking at the past, but if there was one thing I would like to change..." I trailed off. "Anyway, that's another reason I'm here, aside from everything else. I felt I owed it to her... to do what she can't anymore, because of me."

"Well, you've done a good job..." She assured me. "After all, I'm still alive, aren't I?"

"Don't say that too loud." I warned. "But, yeah. I'll carry her memory, and the memory of everyone who has died on my watch. Forever. That's why I have such hangups about death. I don't want anyone forgotten. No one deserves that."

After another moment, she asked "But why tell me this now, of all times?"

"Like I said, I want you to trust me. I've been keeping secrets this whole time, and... I just hate keeping secrets. Which is ironic, since I'm a pretty good liar. But I just had to get that off my chest. I feel like we're gonna be going into some final-battle situation soon, so if I was gonna tell you, it had to be soon."

"Does Chiaki know about this?"

"If I ever told her, I don't remember, but from the way she's been acting, I don't think so. If we survive this, though, I'll definitely tell her. She deserves to know, too."

Komaru thought for yet another moment. "So, how are you gonna get home...?"

I didn't answer immediately. When I did, all I said was "I already am."

"Huh?"

"A home is not a place, it's people. While I certainly miss my family, and wish I could see them again... I've already resigned myself to the fact that it's impossible. But that doesn't matter, because I have your brother, and Chiaki, and Chihiro, and you, and all of the friends I've made in this world. As long as I have all of them, I'm already home. I just need to get out of this city and see them again."

She considered this. "Now I feel really bad for crying about my own family... When you won't ever get to see yours again..."

"It's fine. That's what I want to do. I want to bring people back to their family, and return everything to the way it was before the Tragedy." I paused. "And in order to do that, sadly, we gotta go talk to Haiji."

"Huh? Oh, right." She sighed. "I almost forgot we had a place to be."

"Let's go. Sitting around won't solve our problems." I waved her along, and we started walking again.

When we reached Haiji, he was peeking out of the entrance to the base. He muttered "Looks like the Monokumas are easing off a bit. Now's a good time to head out."

"Um... where are we going?" Komaru asked.

"Didn't I tell you? The place where our trump card is hidden."

"Yeah, I still want to know exactly where we're going and what this trump card is." I insisted.

"I'm not trying to be cryptic, it's just... hard to explain in words. It's much easier if you see it with your own eyes. Then you'll understand, I promise. Anyway, it's our last hope for stopping the kids before it gets any worse. If there's one thing I know for sure... This is our last shot."

"Does something like that really exist?" Komaru asked.

"I'm telling you because I trust you guys." Haiji explained. "And I need you two to trust me as well."

"Well, I'll be honest, I have a hard time trusting anyone in this city." I told him. "But I don't have a lot of options right now, so I'll follow you."

"However... Getting there is going to be a problem. Let me think..." He looked between the two of us, before walking up to me and handing me a set of keys. "I'll leave this to you. Her and I will go in the back. It'll be cramped, but you'll have to deal with it for now."

I stared at the set of keys in my hands. "Uh... I don't think I follow..."

"Listen, it's important that you don't freak out. If you don't... we should be fine." He said, patting me on the back.

I thought that would be a good time to mention that I'm not exactly known for keeping my head on during stressful situations, but we started moving, and I decided not to say anything. Big mistake.

* * *

"Yahooo!" Komaru cheered as we sped along the streets of Towa on Haiji's motorcycle.

Guess who was driving. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! FUCK!" I screamed as I swerved around the obstacles on the road, making split-second decisions and only barely avoiding crashing a hundred times a minute. "How the fuck do I slow down!?"

"Enough with the complaints, let's gooo!" Komaru yelled from behind me. The only thing stopping her from flying off the bike to her death was the fact that she had her arms around my abdomen.

Behind her was Haiji, holding on tight with his one good arm. "Haha, I thought you'd be the one freaking out, Komaru!"

"I've never ridden one of these before! This is so fun!"

As I made a hard right, I called out "Now's probably a good time to mention I never got my licence! Not even a learner's!"

"How old are you, again?" Haiji asked.

"Well, I apologize, but high school was a very stressful time for me, even before all this world-hopping nonsense!"

I don't think Haiji heard the last part over the roaring wind, because he didn't ask me to elaborate. "Well, I can't drive with my arm like this! And it's not like cops are gonna pull us over or somethin'!"

"That's not the point!" I yelled back.

"Hey, listen, we never know when the Monokumas might attack next. Let's speed it up!" He said.

"Rogeeer!" Komaru called back, reaching her hands up to mine and twisting my wrists, forcing the motorcycle to accelerate.

"FUUUUUUU-!"

After a few minutes of flying at top speed, I panicked and gripped the brakes for dear life, slamming us to a stop. I was breathing heavily, moments away from a heart attack.

Haiji then said "...Alright, we're here."

"We are...? Where are we?" Komaru asked, stepping off the motorcycle.

I stayed on a few more moments to catch my breath and settle my nerves. We seemed to be at some sort of park, a secluded field in the middle of the city. "Good. Great place. Are you kidnapping us? Is that it? You gonna sell my organs and have your way with the schoolgirl?" I had a hard time not assuming the worst of someone who almost just got me killed.

"...Um, no." He said, turning to me with a confused expression. "That's not what I was thinking at all. Especially not with _her_. I... I like 'em younger. As young as possible."

"Uh, red flag?" I said as I got off the motorcycle.

"...Actually, can I leave now?" Komaru asked, scared.

"Anyway!" He cut off before it got anymore awkward. "It's time. Careful of where you stand, if you talk you might bite your tongue."

"Bite my tongue?" I repeated. "What's that supposed to-?" Suddenly, the ground beneath us shifted, and began moving down like an elevator. Guess who bit their tongue.

"Is this... an elevator?" Komaru asked.

"You'd never expect such an elaborate machine here, right? That's how you know it's important." Haiji said confidently. "This is Towa Group's secret factory, after all."

"Secret factory?" She repeated.

"This place was restricted to top executives only." He explained. "During emergencies, the restrictions get tougher. Now, the only ones who can move this elevator are me and my old man."

I spat the blood from my mouth. "So... not even the kids can get into this place? Sounds too good to be true."

Finally, the elevator came to a stop, opening up into a factory, complete with conveyor belts and everything.

"Um... Isn't it about time you tell us what you're hiding here?" Komaru asked.

"I've told you already. It's our last hope." That's not an answer. "And it's deep inside this factory. However, we do have a bit of a problem. It's the reason I was hesitant to come here in the first place."

"Why's that?" I asked.

He seemed to try to find some other way of saying it, but sighed. "...In order to deter intruders and thieves, our family uses Monokumas to guard the area..."

I did a double-take. "Monokumas!?"

"Ever since the riot, we haven't been able to contact the office that controls them." He explained. "To what I can guess, the Monokumas here had their control functions broken. I bet they would even attack _me_, like I was any other adult."

"That's not the problem!" I snapped. "Why are there Monokumas here in the first place? I thought the kids brought them to this city!"

"Yeah, I expected this reaction... But you'll know the answer to that question as well once we're through here."

"Jesus. If you're trying to gain our trust, you're pretty bad at it."

"Yeah, probably. I even think so myself. But for now... will you please trust me? I'm begging you, you two are the only ones who can make it through here. You have to help! There's no way I can do it alone, but I'm not going to abandon the hope that's in here. I took your words to heart... That I need to fight back, no giving up."

"Haiji..." Komaru started. "Al, why don't we just try going there for now? I mean, we've gone this far already..."

He seemed sincere, at least. I sighed. "Okay, but one wrong move, and I'm turning around and leaving."

He nodded. "That sounds fair to me. The trump card is deep inside this factory. We need to take the elevator to the bottom floor."

I looked around. "Are we not standing in the elevator already?"

"This is the entrance elevator." He explained. "There's a separate elevator between each floor. For security purposes."

I rubbed my temples. "So, in other words, instead of having one long shaft letting us get to the bottom floor instantly, we need to go through the entire factory. Grand." Why couldn't any buildings in this city have a standard design?

Oh well. At least we won't have to deal with anything we haven't seen before.

* * *

**So now Komaru finally knows the truth. I feel like she's rather trusting, so I wasn't going to have her be in Byakuya levels of deniability or anything. She's just confused about the multiverse and complicated stuff like that, and like any normal person, would be skeptical of the idea of inter-dimensional transportation. Also, Albert hasn't forgotten his dead friends. Brings a tear to my eye.**

**Also, Haiji's a pedo. That's not funny. But since that doesn't effect the plot at all, I think it's more fun to insult all of his other flaws. Like the fact that he was a coward until now. Or that he expects people to trust him despite giving them no reason to. Still, Albert's reaction to that line is basically the same as my own, although mine was a bit more "What the fuck?"**

**Anyway, in the next chapter, we'll actually, probably, for real see what Haiji's "trump card" is...**


	14. Chapter 13

**This one is a little short, but it has important plot points and the like. Some talks between Albert and his companions. An epic battle. We're nearing the end, but the journey is far from over.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

**Sagely Judgement**

At one point during our trek through the factory, we entered a break room and found a yet another novel.

"What was "the incident" all about?" The title asked rhetorically. "Though "The Tragedy" that painted the world with despair showed signs of calming after the death of the ringleader, it has not completely settled. However, in light of current events, shouldn't we look back at what "The Tragedy" can teach us, and prepare for preventive measures? A thorough investigation to the "The Worst, Most Despair Inducing Incident in the History of Mankind."" I grunted and passed the book to Komaru. "You were captured around the time the Tragedy was starting, right? So you can only know what it was like through testimony and anecdotes."

"Well, by the time I was abducted, the world was already pretty messed up." She explained. "The crime rate was high, the war had started... 7 of my classmates had died..."

"I'm sorry to hear that..." I said. I knew what it was like to lose classmates. "Do you know how they were killed?"

"I'm not really sure if they died, but one day, all 7 of them went missing." She clarified. "And a little while after... someone mailed a package to the school... 35 fingers were inside."

"Th-That's so fucked..." I growled.

"They never ended up finding them..." She continued. "There's no way they're still alive. Because I went through that... I'm worried about my parents..."

"We'll find them." I assured her. "If your brother was here, I think he'd say something like: Don't lose hope."

"Hope..." She seemed to consider the word. "Yeah, you're right! It's not like I know for sure Checko or my parents are dead!"

"Checko?" I repeated.

"Oh, my friend who disappeared. Her name was Chieko."

"Ah, it's a nickname. That makes more sense." I said. "Well, I'm sure we'll find her, too. Let's keep going." I made a silent prayer that these people really were alive, that Makoto and Komaru could meet their friends and family again someday.

We walked over to Haiji, who was peeking out the door. "Looks like the security Monokumas are gone. Now's a good time to go."

I nodded. "Let's not give them a reason to chase us around."

* * *

We found a small book talking about Towa Group. Naturally, with Haiji there, I decided it would be fun to leaf through.

"It was declared earlier this month that the largest household electric appliance manufacturing company, "Kanto," has been acquired by Towa Group. This bring the number of subsidiaries owned by Towa up to 8,000. Towa Group, and by extension Towa City, has been receiving a lot of attention as of late." I looked up at him. "8,000? Sounds like you guys are trying to take over the world."

"Ha, world domination..." He thought about it. "Sounds swell. If we could completely control all the brats in the world _and _the adults... That'd be nice."

"I was, uh, I was kidding." I told him.

"So was I... Towa Group isn't some evil corporation straight out of a movie. It's a financial group with a simple policy and reasonable assets. "Normal" to a T. Aside from all the greed driving me to make this company the largest in the world, of course."

"Hm. So you're not evil, just bastards out for everyone's money. Sounds like the symbol of capitalism, to me."

"Well anyway, there's no dangerous ulterior motives behind Towa Group... currently."

"So... you used to be evil?" I guessed.

"Well, we may be nobles now, but that doesn't mean we didn't start at the bottom like everyone else. I'm sure Towa Group was rather ambitious when they were just a startup."

"Ah, I was thinking more about what your dad was up to before all this shit. He was chairman, right? What kinda stuff did he do?"

"...Who knows?" Haiji shrugged. "I wasn't exactly deeply involved with the business side of Towa. I have no idea. But it is true that Towa was working to put the incident in the past."

"That's why they made the air purifiers, right?" Komaru asked.

"We also detoxify sea water and replant forests." He added. "We're honestly pretty good people."

"I think everyone's trying to put the incident in the past." I said. "Also, "good people" don't use Monokumas as guards."

"Jeez, you're a pushy one aren't you? I already told you, you gotta trust me on this one."

I scoffed. "Yeah well, trust is earned, not given, and certainly not bought. Though I wouldn't expect you to know that, blue blood. You want my trust, be trustworthy."

"Al, I know how you feel, but now's not the time for this." Komaru cut in.

"Yeah, I know." I nodded to her. "Just stay by my side, okay? I don't like to think of what he'd do if he was alone with you."

Haiji groaned. "On my honor... I promise I'm not into her!... Specifically."

"What does that even mean?" I asked.

"What I'm tryin' to say is, they younger they are, the better it is for me!" He snapped.

"Seriously, red flag! Are we just letting that slide!?"

"But I mean, the fact that he _admits _it... It's kind of attractive." Komaru defended.

I smacked her upside the head. "You are awful at picking men. Now, let's hurry. With luck, we could get to where we're going before I change my mind."

* * *

_"A Thorough Investigation of Genocide Jack"_

_"With a mastery of killing that can even be called "artistic," Genocide Jack changed the world. The rumors about him that flutter about are innumerous. Online, they talk about him as if he were a mere urban legend... However, he does really exist. In this book, we address the rumors, study the motives, and create the killer's profile._

_"...Genocide Jack is alive."_

I chuckled darkly at that last line. "If only that were true."

"What do you mean?" Komaru asked.

"Genocide Jack was one of the students in the killing game. She... didn't survive."

"Wait, she? And she was a student at Hope's Peak?"

I shook my head. "No, not officially. Remember when we first met, I mentioned I had a friend with DID once? That was her. When certain things triggered a switch, she'd go from a quiet, anti-social girl to a boy-crazy psychopath. I know she was a serial killer, she even tried to kill one of my friends, but I can't help but feel bad that I couldn't save her. It doesn't help much that when she died... so did her other, innocent half."

"That's horrible..." Komaru said.

I read the synopsis of the book again. "Heh, they claim to be a thorough investigation, but it looks like they couldn't even get her gender right. That's funny. Maybe if we make it out of this, I could write a book about all the things I know about Danganronpa. Of course, in some cases, that'd be an invasion of privacy. I'll be sure to keep it relevant to the Tragedy."

I must've stared at the book a second too long, because Komaru took notice. "Al...?"

I sighed. "Let's go. We can't afford to stare at the past, not when we still have people in the present to protect."

* * *

We approached the elevator to the final floor, but there was a problem. There were a bunch of lasers blocking the way. The gaps between them were too small to squeeze through like in the spy movies. If we touched even one, we'd be surrounded by security Monokumas faster than you could say "Oops!"

I turned to Haiji. "What do we do here?"

"Don't worry, if you input the password in the Management Room, the lasers will shut off." He pointed to the other side of the room. "The Management Room is at the back of the conveyor. We should go there first. Just a bit more... If we can get to that elevator, we can get to the deepest area. Once we're there... the trump card is ours."

"Ugh, I'm starting to wish I just left..." I groaned as we headed toward the Management Room.

Inside, we found a security guard's body laying on the floor, in a pool of his own blood.

"A-A body!?" Komaru shrieked.

"...Just like I thought." Haiji growled. "This guy wasn't killed by a kid. He was killed by a Guard Monokuma that went haywire. But this is a problem... He's the only one who knows the password to turn off the lasers."

"Yeah, excellent security management, there." I snarked. Why not leave the password up to just one guy? "So what do we do now?"

"We gotta find that password somehow..." He said. "I'm sure there's a clue or something in here. We can't just give up..."

As the avid mystery game player that I am, I began looking around for evidence. Apparently, the security guard made the password his son's birthday. A very common way to password something. I noticed a picture on his desk of his son's birthday party. It was splattered with blood, but I could make out two numbers, 69 and 8. The bloodstain covered just in front of the eight, so it could have been an 18 or a 28 as well. In a note, the guy mentioned his son's birthday is on the third Saturday of the month, so with a bit of math, it had to be an 18. The 69 was trickier, but I quickly realized that the number 69 could not be part of any birthday unless his son was born in 1969. Ergo, it wasn't a number, but a symbol that looks like a number. You can thank Leon for helping me with that trick. It also helped that, before dying, the security guard had a zodiac image opened in another tab.

"July 18th." I said. Komaru and Haiji watched as I approached the laptop and typed in the 4-digit code, 0718.

"Yes!" Haiji cheered as he saw the lasers shut off on one of the security monitors. "Now we can get to the deepest part! I knew I could trust you guys!" He dashed out of the room.

"No problem." I said, following him.

"Wow, how did you solve it so fast, Al?" Komaru marveled.

I shrugged. "A lucky guess."

We took the elevator down to the bottom of the factory, where we found a massive door.

"Here we are... Our trump card is just behind this door." Haiji said. "Our last hope..."

I stepped forward cautiously. I glanced back to Komaru to make sure she was ready, before pushing the button that opened the door. On the other side, we found something we couldn't have expected. With a smirk, Haiji rose his free hand, pointing up at his "trump card." Komaru and I, meanwhile, we entirely dumbstruck. After all...

...We were staring up at a massive Monokuma robot dressed as a king.

"Th-This is... a Monokuma?" Komaru shouted.

Haiji stepped in front of us, raising his arm as if presenting it. "Yeah... Our trump card, the last hope for us adults..."

"This Monokuma is the last hope...?" Komaru asked.

"It's not just an oversized Monokuma." He said. "It's a secret weapon that was built by Towa Group in case we ever needed to defend the city. If we use Big Bang Monokuma now... We can put up a fight and take back the city."

"What is this...?" I asked. "Why the fuck do you have Guard Monokumas!? And what's with this monstrosity? Why did Towa Group make shit like this? Why are Monokumas being built in Towa's factory?"

He looked away, without responding. I glared at him. "Don't tell me you're the mastermind behind this or something."

Suddenly his attention snapped back to me. "Hey c'mon, if I were behind it all, why would I make Monokuma break my arm?"

"Then you better start talking." Komaru pressed.

He sighed. "The Monokumas that are built here were supposed to be introduced to the world as Maid Robots. They were developed to assist daily life and also to help with dangerous labor tasks. But... those kids ended up taking over..."

"That big fucker was supposed to be a maid? To who? King Kong?" I asked.

"This one's special. Didn't I tell you? This was built to protect the town from danger."

"Okay, fair enough. But why make them look like Monokuma? In my opinion, that's in very poor taste..."

"Don't blame me, I didn't pick the design. The one who developed them chose that on their own."

"That's convenient for you." I groaned. "So now I have someone new to track down. Whoever developed them is probably in kahoots with the kids."

"It is what it is." Haiji said. "At the time these were being made, I wasn't even aware of it."

"Ah, wait... About the one who developed them..." Komaru asked.

She was cut off, however, when the entire room started shaking. "Oh, god, what is it now!?" I yelled.

The ceiling caved in, and another robot flew in. Not a Monokuma, but a humanoid one.

Haiji coughed as the dust cleared. "What happened?"

The giant robot cocked a rifle and swished its cape as a speaker from withing it announced its own entrance.

**"Sage Robot Hannibal X"**

It set its sights on us, pointing at us with its gun. It was only then I noticed its master. Nagisa stood just next to one of its legs, with a giant controller strapped around him. He stared at the ground, and seemed very out of it.

"That kid... he's the one who wanted to let us go, right?" Komaru realized.

"...Found you... Demons..." He said in a quiet voice. He looked up at Big Bang Monokuma. "I can't believe it... Hiding something like this..."

"Let me guess... did she tell you about this?" Haiji asked. "If she can't control it, she wants you to destroy it?"

I ignored his remark and started slowly approaching Nagisa, hands raised and my weapon sheathed. "Nagisa... I'm not going to hurt you, okay? I'm going to come over there, and I'm not doing anything..."

"Stay back..." He demanded, his broken face lifting from the floor to meet my gaze. "I won't hesitate... to shoot you..."

"I know, I know..." I assured him. "I'm not your enemy here... I want to help you. Nobody has to get hurt anymore. Okay?"

"But I... Monaca... I have to... destroy the adults..."

"Well, I won't let it happen!" Haiji snapped from behind me. "This is the hope we've finally got for ourselves..."

"Haiji, not helping." I told him before turning back to the child in front of me. "Nagisa, I know what it's like to be scared and hurt. But you don't have to be alone. I can help you. Just trust me, okay? I can help you. I can make the pain go away. You don't have to do everything on your own."

"I-I... I..." He stopped for a moment. At this point, I was only a few feet away from him. I was just about ready to leap forward and hit a pressure point or something, but he suddenly shifted the controls. "_NO!_" Hannibal X turned and shot the ground in front of me. I jumped back on instinct as a laser punched a hole in the platform we were on. Tears were rolling down Nagisa's face. "E-Everyone expects so much of the Warriors of Hope... And of me... To meet these expectations, I have to build Paradise all by myself! So expect more of me! I'll work harder! I'll do it, anything, just please don't abandon me... Father... Mother... Big Sis Junko! Monaca! More, more, more! Expect more from me!"

"Wh-What's wrong with him!?" Haiji asked. "He's batshit crazy!"

"How did he get like this...?" Komaru wondered.

"I can do it... I can really do it... Because out of all the Warriors of Hope... I'm the best at controlling these robots!" As if to accentuate his point, he made the robot shoot more lasers at us. We ran as the platform beneath us was utterly destroyed.

"Shit! This is bad..." Haiji groaned.

"Al, this way!" Komaru steered me around a pillar of some kind, where we took cover.

"Whether they're Demons or not... Anyone who gets in the way of Paradise... I will defeat each and every one of them! So please, give me high expectations! Expect more of me! More! Please expect the best from me!"

"He's lost it..." I said from our hiding spot. I cursed myself. Why couldn't I do anything right? "I think... we should run..."

Komaru turned to me. "But... Haiji said... The big Monokuma is the last hope for everyone back at the base... If we run now, that Monokuma's gonna be destroyed, right? The last hope for the adults will be gone..."

I hesitated for a moment. "Goddamnit... it's too dangerous. But then again... I guess there are times where we have to fight..."

"Huh?"

"What can I say? I'm easily swayed by cheesy speeches. It's why I find your brother so inspiring." I pulled out my baton. "Besides, we've come this far already. Too far to die now."

"Yeah, you're right." She agreed, cocking her gun.

The robot started firing again, but I noticed that is stopped after a few shots. "It has to reload." I realized. "Now's our chance."

Komaru nodded, spinning around and shooting the robot in the eye. Hannibal X toppled over and fell on its ass. I ran around the other side of the pillar and dashed over, hitting it in the face. Before I could shatter its weak spot, though, it got back to its feet and jumped atop one of the pillars, and began sniping us.

We both ducked behind cover again. When the robot ran out of ammo, Komaru tried to shoot it again, but it moved too fast this time. It flew across the arena at high speeds and landed on another pillar. Nagisa wasn't kidding, his control of this thing was quite smooth.

I watched intently. If we wanted to win, we'd have to play dirty. "I got an idea." I told her, as I began to take off my lab coat.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Making an opening." I tossed by coat out of cover. Upon seeing movement, Hannibal X shot a laser at it. The laser hit just above the top, where by head would've been if I was wearing it, and burned the neck of the coat slightly.

That little distraction was just what Komaru needed. She turned back and shot the robot in the eye once more. It toppled over and fell off the pillar.

I cranked up the frequency of my baton, ran over, and jammed it right through Hannibal X's eye.

Electricity started arcing around it. It got up and jumped atop a pillar in the center of the room, and started spilling bombs everywhere. Komaru and I managed to avoid them. Then, the robot started to jerk and shake. One of its legs broke off, and its head followed.

Nagisa stood nearby, desperately pulling the controls, trying to force the machine to follow his command. As all the parts of Hannibal X broke apart, laying in a heap, one of its arms fell over the edge of the pillar, falling toward Nagisa. He looked up at it, paralyzed with fear. The last thing I saw was him get crushed before a giant explosion consumed the area.

When the dust cleared, I stared at the rubble and charred scrap heap that was Nagisa's grave. Why couldn't I save any of them? Masaru, Jataro, Nagisa... Why did everyone I try to help die? Was I not good enough? Why couldn't I be the _Ultimate _Psychologist? Why couldn't I be born with talent? Why did everything have to be so hard? Why did everyone else have to pay the price for my incompetence?

Haiji made his way over. Oh, yay, he was alive. "Guess you could say... He wasn't "expecting" that."

I shook my head and walked away. "Fuck off, Haiji." I picked up my lab coat and threw it on.

"Yeah, sorry, that wasn't funny." He agreed.

"Now's not the time!" Komaru said. "We gotta save him!"

"Just leave him..." Haiji told her.

"...Huh?"

"If we save this crazy-ass kid, he'll just end up doing the same thing again." He said. "He probably got crushed anyway. We can't save him even if we wanted to."

I nodded. "While he could have put it a bit nicer, he's right. Nobody could've survived that, let alone a child. All we'll find is a charred, mangled, child-sized corpse." I sighed. I know I was all about remembering the dead, but... I think I'd rather remember what Nagisa was before he became crazy... er, crazier. Unintelligible. I mean, he was a monster before, but...

Haiji stepped forward toward Big Bang Monokuma. "More importantly, take a look at this. Hahaha... We've finally got it... Hahahaha... The hope... We've finally got our hope..."

"H-Hope..." Komaru said the word as if she forgot the definition.

"Alright, let's ride this right to the enemy's HQ!" Haiji announced, hyped.

"Ride? On the Monokuma?" Komaru asked.

"Oh, don't worry, Al won't be driving this time." He assured her. "He wouldn't be able to, anyway. The only ones who can control this are me and my old man. So I've gotta move this myself... Now, let's begin the counterattack! Once the others see this, they'll be pumped for sure! Haha... hahahaha!"

I stared up at the colossal mech in front of us. "Yeah. Let's hope this was worth it..."

* * *

**I like any conversation where Albert remembers one of his classmates, so the one where they read the Genocide Jack book is one I enjoyed writing. Also, ****I included that dumb password puzzle as a way to show that Albert hasn't gotten rusty with his investigation skills. I don't know when the next time he's going to really need that is (maybe DR3, but DR2 might have some moments), but it's always nice to show that Albert isn't just a guy doing things. Since he's not an Ultimate, he has quite a few skills that aren't necessarily related to each other, and I like drawing attention to them.**

**In the next chapter, the counterattack will begin.**


	15. Chapter 14

**I decided to make up for my slightly shorter chapter last week with a slightly longer chapter this week. Only time will tell if this will balance the scales. Also, the fact that this chapter is important to the plot probably effects some things. Okay, let's be honest, there isn't a single chapter in this story that doesn't have any plot, because Despair Girls is basically all plot or side quest once you remove the main gameplay, and the main gameplay would be boring and monotonous to read through.**

**Anyway, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

**King of the Hill**

Big Bang Monokuma tore its way through Towa City, with us at the helm. Children in the streets below ran for cover as we stomped ever forward.

A bunch of Monokumas jumped from the roofs of nearby buildings to attack us like ants. With a smirk, Haiji swung his good arm in front of the motion control interface, and our massive mech unleashed a series of punches through the air at an absurd speed for such a big machine, utterly decimating every Monokuma. The adults cheered and the children ran in fear as the pieces of what were previously enemies fell to the ground.

"Haha, did you see that!?" Haiji cheered. "Who's the boss now!? As long as I control this Big Bang Monokuma, those little Monokumas are like nothing! Good work, you two! You guys are the saviors of this town!"

"Ah, yeah..." Komaru muttered. We exchanged nervous glances.

Haiji started heading toward an area with a large pavilion, where the adults were starting to congregate. Even the slower ones started heading over once Haiji parked his mech and the three of us climbed out.

* * *

"Chiaki!" I spotted her in the crowd and waved her over. A minute later she managed to push her way through to us where we stood at the back of the mob.

"Al, Komaru, You did it!" She said. "I think we might be able to turn this around."

"Looks like you managed to keep everyone in order, too." I told her. "I'm glad you're okay."

"Same here. Oh, but I didn't do everything. I had a lot of help from Shirokuma and the others." She looked up at Big Bang Monokuma. "But... why is our secret weapon a Monokuma?"

"It's a bit of a long story." I said. "On that note, I think I have a lead on someone related to the mastermind. Or perhaps the mastermind themselves..."

Just then, I noticed the crowd was quieting down. Everyone's attention turned to the stage, where Haiji climbed up. I whispered to Chiaki "I'll explain later."

Haiji called out "Everyone! Hear me out! First off... I gotta apologize to you guys. The reason I was always down in that base wasn't because I was waiting for an opportunity... That was just an excuse. Really, I was just scared shitless by those kids. Heh... Makes me a pretty bad leader. But then someone snapped me out of it. Those two over there, the guy and the girl, neither kids nor adults..." He pointed at us. Well, Komaru and I are both mentally 18, but sure...

"H-Hi..." Komaru waved awkwardly as the eyes shifted to us.

"...Yo." I said simply.

"Thanks to them, I've finally woken up." Haiji declared. "No matter how scared you are, if you want a hopeful future, sometimes you gotta fight for one. So never again! Never are we gonna hide and cower and lose what we care about! Now it's time to stand up! With our hands, we're gonna take back this city! We have the power now! With Big Bang Monokuma, we can do this! So listen up! Teach those deranged kids who really runs this town! Towa City! Our home! Our town!"

A round of cheers went out through the crowd.

Chiaki turned to us. "That... isn't good, right? They seem a little too excited to fight."

"Isn't it better if the adults are... a little more calm?" Komaru asked.

I folded my arms. "Their fear's been ignited into rage. That's a dangerous combo of emotions. But it's not like we can tell them to calm down. That'd just give them an excuse to turn on us, too."

Then, I noticed Hiroko making her way over to us, carrying Shirokuma's head in her hands. "Yo... Got a sec? Shiroro wants to talk to you guys, right away."

"Shirokuma! Good timing!" Komaru said. "There's something we have to talk about, too."

"So you guys are worried too, right?" He asked. "It'd be bad if the adults attacked the kids, riled up like this..."

"You think so too?" Komaru asked.

"Haiji seems like he's still holding a grudge... Not just against the Monokumas, but the children, too. If they end up fighting like this... Both the kids and adults will end up killing each other."

"K-Killing?" Komaru repeated in shock.

"Which, if my mind control theory holds true, is even more horrifying." I realized. "In that case, the kids would be victims as much as the adults. This is awful." I faced the bear. "This isn't what you wanted either, right? You encouraged them to fight back, but..."

"Well, just like you, I didn't know that Haiji had that kind of weapon." He explained. "The reason I tried to motivate them was to give them the power to protect themselves. But Big Bang Monokuma isn't about protection. It has the power to destroy. If the adults and the kids fight one another with the power to destroy, the damage would be terrible."

"Hey... Is there anything we can do to maybe calm them down a little?" Komaru asked.

Hiroko stared out into the crowd. "The way they are now, I doubt it."

"We don't have to be afraid anymore!" Haiji declared between cheers. "We might lose our lives, we might take lives, but either way, we will _not _be afraid anymore! Today, we make the memorial of our victory! We make the memorial of the kids' defeat!"

"The moment they saw that stupid huge Monokuma, their eyes lit up." She continued. "Yeah, maybe it is their last hope... But maybe it's far too big of a hope. There's no way they'd listen to us if we told them to go easy because they're just kids..."

"Shirokuma, do you have any ideas?" Komaru asked.

"There is one..." He loaded for a second. "The Monokumas running amok in town aren't moving on their own, like me. There must be a device somewhere giving them orders."

"Somewhere?" Komaru repeated.

"I would guess that the controller is at Towa Hills, the kid's HQ."

Chiaki nodded along. "So if we get to Towa Hills before the battle gets out of hand, and we break the device..."

"Yep, the Monokumas will stop functioning all at once, and the kids will no longer have an army. If you guys do that, I'm sure you can prevent the fight between adults and children."

"Yeah, it's not like they're a group of fanatics who would attack defenseless children..." Hiroko said. "...I hope."

"And who are we gonna get to infiltrate enemy territory?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Ah... About that..." Shirokuma started awkwardly.

I sighed. "Sneaking into a heavily-guarded base in order to find a device that might not even exist. I know I might act suicidal sometimes, but I swear that I'm actually just stupid. I still want to live."

"But when the Big Bang Monokuma starts attacking, the Monokumas will be busy dealing with that..." Shirokuma explained. "If you use that as a distraction, it won't be impossible to break into Towa Hills."

Komaru started thinking. "In order to save Byakuya, we have to go to Towa Hills anyway, right...?"

"Those are both good points..." I admitted.

My expression must've given away my hesitation, though. Shirokuma continued. "I know I'm asking you for a lot... but you two are the only ones I can rely on anymore! I beg you, you guys are the only ones who can save this town!"

I looked to Chiaki, then to Komaru, then to the crowd of innocents, then back to Shirokuma again. "You're right... That's what I'm here for, after all. I'll... I'll go. Komaru? I'm afraid you gotta make another choice."

"...I'll try." She said. "I know it's dangerous, but even then... I can't just leave it like this. I know I'd regret it later on."

"Komaru... You've grown." Shirokuma told her. "I'm so glad to see you like this."

"It looks like, in a weird way, Nagito's getting his wish." Chiaki said to me. I shrugged.

"So?" Hiroko asked. "It's the final hour, what are you guys gonna do?"

I raised my hand. "There's just one issue with this plan. Even if we shut down the Monokumas... there'll be nothing stopping the adults from attacking the kids. I'd like to believe they wouldn't attack defenceless kids, but I'd be lying to myself if I said I didn't think it was possible. They're in a terrible state of mind right now."

"So, what can we do about that?" Komaru asked.

"We need some people to stay here who can keep some order, and prevent any unnecessary bloodshed." I explained.

"I'll do it." Chiaki said. "Between Shirokuma and I, we can keep an eye most of them."

"I'll help, too." Hiroko said. "I could probably pass Shiroro off to someone else so we could split up."

I thought about it. "Even so, three people isn't going to be enough. The crowd is too rowdy. We'll need more voices..."

"Hey! Al, Komaru!" A familiar voice I hadn't heard in a long time called out to us, the owner making his way through the crowd.

I turned and saw Yuta being carried piggyback style by Taichi.

"You said you needed some extra hands?" Taichi asked us. "We're willing to help, if we can."

"Yuta! Mr. Fujisaki!" Komaru cheered.

"You two want to monitor the fight and make sure nothing overly violent happens?" I asked.

"That sounds like fun..." Yuta said. More seriously, he added "We can do that. Just make sure nobody goes crazy and beats up a kid, right?"

I scanned the size of the crowd, and considered the numbers we had. I couldn't be sure, but by my estimations... "Between the five of you... That should be enough. Thank you, you two. I really owe you."

Taichi chuckled. "Well, we owe you our lives, so let's just say we're square."

"Yeah." Yuta agreed. "I'm not very good at crowd control, but I'll give it my best shot." He smiled like a guy that still had use of his legs.

"Thanks, everyone!" Shirokuma said. "Thank you so much!"

Hiroko cocked her head toward the crowd. "...Hm, looks like it's about to begin."

The crowd dispersed, and adults started ganging up on Monokumas in the streets. Haiji returned to piloting Big Bang Monokuma, standing as a symbol of hope for the people.

"We should hurry." Komaru said.

"Right..." I turned to Chiaki, and we hugged once more. "I really hate that I keep having to let you outta my sight."

"I'll be okay." She promised. "You be careful, too. We're all counting on you."

"Don't count on me too much." I warned. "It's bad luck."

Chiaki lead the others as they followed after the crowd. Before they got too far, I called out "And, Yuta?"

Taichi stopped and turned so Yuta could face me. "Yeah?"

"I'm... I'm sorry I put you in harms way. And that I've... been avoiding you."

He brushed me off. "Hey, man, it's cool. I mean, there are a lot of other guys who got it worse than me. And you have your own baggage, too. You don't gotta worry about me, though. Trust me, an Asahina always keeps moving." He flashed me a smile that seemed somewhat forced before Taichi carried him off.

"Heh. "You only get stronger by taking adversity by the horns!" Well, I guess they are siblings..." I muttered. Hopefully, these five new friends of mine can make a difference. More than I can on my own. That's the real advantage of teamwork. Of course, at the moment, I had to focus on what _I'm_ doing.

Komaru and I rushed out of the area, making a beeline for Towa Hills.

* * *

On our way, we happened to pass Hiroko. She gave me a thumbs up as I passed to let us know nothing awful was happening yet. I made it a few more feet before I recalled the papers in my pocket and I slowed to a stop. Komaru slowed down, too.

"Oh, Hiroko, one last thing, before we go."

"What's up? Something happen?"

I pulled out a stack of Hit Lists. "Just in case I don't make it back... You gotta make sure these people survive, alright?"

She nodded, keeping her eyes on the crowd. "Well, let's make this quick."

I passed her a Hit List for Fuhito Kirigiri. She read it quickly, taking a drag off her cigarette. "Targeting the elderly, too... They really don't discriminate."

"Honestly. If they waited a week, he'd probably fall over on his own." I joked darkly.

Komaru turned toward me. "Al! That's rude! You have to resp... Respec...?... Respeculate your elders!"

"I'm sorry, you said you're well-read?"

Hiroko glanced at the paper again before turning back to the crowd. "By the way, what was the "Detective Library" again? I feel like I've heard that somewhere before... But I can't remember."

"Judging from the description, I guess it's some sort of detective union." I guessed. "Or maybe some sort of group for private investigators?"

"So it's just like a manga artist union!" Komaru clarified enthusiastically.

"Sure, why not?"

"Anyway, a union of detectives sounds super cool! Kinda like a secret organization..."

I shook my head. "Real detectives don't really solve crazy huge cases like in fiction, though. Mostly, they're just members of the police. Most situations don't really require someone who specializes in investigation." I remember being somewhat disappointed when I asked Kyoko to share stories of cases she solved.

"Yeah, that's right." Hiroko said. "Unless there's some super complicated case, detectives aren't really needed. Of course most police officers and judges fit that bill, too..."

"Guess the Tragedy changed that quite a bit, though." I noted. "Detectives, police, and judges are needed now more than ever."

"Anyway, regardless if they're detectives or culprits, we gotta save them now." Hiroko said with a wink. "Leave it to me. I'll solve it in a flash, just like manga detectives!"

"Cool." I handed her the next Hit List. I'll admit I was operating on a sort of auto-pilot, but when she saw it, she turned to me with an angry expression.

"Hey, what's the big idea? Handing me somethin' like this!?" She held up the Hit List with the picture of Komaru on it. "You better not be makin' fun of me!"

I jumped at her glare. "I-It was just instinct! I didn't mean anything by it!"

Her expression softened, and she started to chuckle. "Ahaha, I'm just kiddin'. I'm not the kinda woman to get pissed off about somethin' like this."

"Oh, y-yeah... uh, hilarious." I awkwardly chuckled with her.

"More importantly, this file is so... rude!" Komaru said. "I'm sure they could have written it a little nicer!"

"I think "typical Demon" describes you pretty well." I said. "How would you describe your Demon self?"

"Um... Like, how the hair is unique! Or how she reads tons of manga... Or how she makes funny noises with an electric fan, or how she's not really good with numbers..."

I worried if I let her keep going, I'd end up hearing something I didn't want to hear. "I've mentioned that none of that is really all that special, right?"

"Koko, there's nothing embarrassing about being normal." Hiroko assured her.

"I-It's not like I'm "embarrassed"..."

"Anyway, the important part of this file is that your location is "Unknown." They haven't pinned us down yet." I pointed out. "You should be happy about that, not sad about being normal."

"Yeah... As a normal girl, I'm happy in a perfectly normal way..." She muttered.

I passed over the next Hit List, one for a man named Kenshiro. No last name. Still, by process of elimination, and because I actually heard that name in a Free Time Event back when I played DR1, I knew whose captive he was.

"Assassin fist?" Hiroko read. "Are the Captives really allowed to do that kind of B.S. in this game?"

"Isn't this just something some kid wrote?" Komaru asked. "They're probably just making it up."

I shook my head. "That's real. I knew someone else, just as powerful as this guy."

"Really?" Hiroko asked.

"Yeah. She was the strongest person in the world. People called her "Ogre," and strength-wise, that's no exaggeration. If she was real, then that assassin fist thing probably is, too."

"Then is it true that his days are numbered?" Komaru asked. "Sounds like a plot from a manga..."

"Yeah, well, assassins hardly ever live long lives." I joked.

"...Well, you can leave this to me. Assassin fist or no, I'll take the responsibility of saving him. Of course, I'm not personally going." She scanned the crowd once more. "I'll leave it to you."

"Thanks, Hiroko. Seriously. If I get out of this and meet up with the boys at the Future Foundation, I'll make sure you're rewarded for your help."

She chuckled. "Well, it's good to know all my good deeds might go unpunished. But just make sure you actually live to meet up with your friends. This city's got a big enough body count already."

I nodded. "I'll see you later. I will." And with that, Komaru and I dashed off.

* * *

As we approached the entrance to Towa Hills, we found a group of kids with Monokuma helmets cowering out of the way.

"What happened to these children?" Komaru asked. "They look completely terrified."

"Unsurprising, considering the adults are fighting back now. Kids love picking on things and then acting like the victim when their target fights back. Reminds me of Brett from middle school. Though, at least in this case, the kids might be victims just as much as the adults."

"But don't they look just horrified? They're completely frozen in fear..."

"Well, they are still children. If my brainwashing theory is correct, then they must be in a pretty bad spot right now, mentally speaking. Regardless, once we get inside the HQ, we'll have all our answers... whether we want them or not."

We approached the front door. There was no doorknob or button to open it. I was about to smash it open with my baton, before Komaru rung a bell hanging on a podium nearby. The glass door slid open.

"So the door opens if you ring the bell?" Komaru observed. "That's kinda weird..."

"I hate this city." I said, heading inside. "I hate it, and I hate whoever designed it." The curse of the Ultimate Architect followed me from Hope's Peak, I swear.

"We got in pretty easy, huh?" Komaru noted as the door slid shut behind us. "Maybe it's because Big Bang Monokuma is making such a mess..."

I let out a low whistle as I glanced around the lobby. "If there's any place that screams "final level," this is it. Byakuya's gotta be here."

"But in a building this big... It's gonna be hard to find him."

"Well, we don't gotta search the whole building." I explained. "Our main target is the head of the beast. We take down the leader, and we can take out all the Monokumas and rescue everyone in the city in one fell swoop." I stared up the escalators. "If I had to guess, my gamer instincts are telling me they're probably on the top floor. Rooftop final battles are pretty common."

"Yeah, that seems likely..." She agreed.

"But this won't be easy." I warned. "If this is the final level, then it's gonna be the most difficult one yet. That controller would have to be well-guarded, after all. We have to stay vigilant. But we can do it."

"Yeah... Let's end this. Personally, I'm hoping for an easy ending."

I laughed. "Yeah, get in line. I'm still waiting for the one the universe owes me after the Hope's Peak killing game. Hopefully, though, we won't have to struggle too much longer."

* * *

As we made our way through Towa Hills, it became very apparent how much the children had changed it in the last few days. For one, each of the ringleaders had a room that acted like a bedroom, filled with their things. We had to access these rooms in order to progress, as their robots were blocking doors, and their controllers were locked away. And in order to get into their rooms, we had to go through more arcade rooms. Yay.

In Nagisa's room, we found something other than just a controller. There were plenty of books everywhere, but one caught my eye.

"Blue Thread from the Scarred Mountain." I read. "...By Toko Fukawa."

"Toko Fukawa? Isn't that the girl that died at Hope's Peak?" Komaru recalled.

"That's right... She was the Ultimate Writing Prodigy, after all." I turned back to the book. "As I live here in the village deep down in the mountains, I dream about you every night on my thin futon on the creaking kitchen floor. From the author of "So Lingers the Ocean," Toko Fukawa's long-awaited new novel."

"Ultimate Writing Prodigy... Um, how many books did she write?"

"I never really asked. I wasn't... very close with her. But since she claimed to write every single day, I assume she has a lot of them. Besides, quantity doesn't matter, quality does. And she was apparently the best."

"A-As expected of an Ultimate!"

"Honestly, I always wanted to be a writer. But high school had a funny way of squandering my dreams for the future, rather than bolster them. The atmosphere of those "educational" facilities were always too oppressive. And after getting the chance to go to Hope's Peak, the best of the best, now I don't even remember my time there, and I've got worldwide terrorism to deal with." I sighed. "What about you? What do you want to do when you get out of here?"

"Well, lots of stuff really... I want to go to school, and eat my mom's cooking, and there's a lot of manga to read... And also, I wanna go on a picnic with you!"

"That sounds really lame." I said honestly.

"It's just that, I haven't really seen a nice, peaceful blue sky lately. So when I get out of this place, I want to go on a picnic with you. Under a clear, sunny, blue sky... I want to do all the cliche things, like eat sandwiches."

"It really, _really _sounds like you're asking me out on a date right now." I told her.

"I-I'm not!" She insisted. "I just think, after all we've been through, we both deserve a little break after this! Besides, if one of us were going to ask out the other, you would ask out me!"

"I am not going to do that." I insisted. "You remind me of my own little sister, and even if I could get passed that, I'm not going to break the bro code with Makoto. Sisters are off limits." I let a few moments pass before I added "Though, I'll admit that you're right about the other thing. We all need some nice blue skies once in a while..."

"Ah, you said you'd go! It's a promise, then!"

"Heh, well, it's too early to think about that kinda stuff, anyway. We're still in enemy territory, y'know."

"Well, the way I see it... I'm definitely going to escape. You think the same way, don't you?"

"Of course. I won't let anything stop me now. Y'know, now that I think of it, you've changed quite a bit during our journey. I still remember when I snapped at you for being a coward."

"Hehe, people change."

I nodded. "Alright, that's enough of that. We're still in a hurry, remember."

"Right." We started heading out of the room.

I glanced down at the novel still in my hands. People change, huh? But the dead are static forever. Rather, they live on in the way they changed those around them. With a sad smile, I tucked the book away into my lab coat.

* * *

Eventually, we entered Masaru's room, and we managed to find his diary. Normally, I didn't condone picking through other people's affairs, but I'll make an exception for the murderous little shits.

_"No doubt about it, Monaca is the best! Just trust in Monaca, and even "brainrinsing" is easy as pie! As long as they wear the "Monokuma Head," everyone's our ally! If this keeps up, the paradise will be completed in no time... And when that happens, I'll bring hope to the entire world next!"_

"Al, about this "brainrinse" part..." Komaru pointed to the passage in the diary.

"Obviously, "brainwashing" is what he meant." Though I don't understand how a little boy, who probably reads comics, would misname brainwash, especially with a word like rinse. Seems kinda contrived. "Either way, this is our lucky break. This could all be a trick, but it lines up too well with what I've been theorizing this whole time. So it's just as I've been thinking, the kids without the helmets are using the rest as slaves. But..."

"But what...?" Komaru asked.

"I have a bad feeling about all of this. The way you've been growing... I just feel like, even after all this, we're still playing into someone's hand..."

"Who...?"

"The one who Nagito was working with... The two of them were trying to lead us through this game... and here we are, right in the kids' HQ."

"But even if that's true, if I just run away, I can't do anything about this war, right?"

"That's true..."

"It's going to be alright." She assured me. "I don't know whose idea this was, or why they're doing this, but... As long as we stop this violence, nothing else matters!"

I thought about it. Masterminds typically had some way of assuring their plan would work out. I didn't know who was truly pulling the string here, but there's a chance they're just as cunning as Junko was. I sighed. Still... "You're right... there's nowhere left to run. It all comes down to us... Y'know, you sound a lot like your brother now."

"Huh? Y-You think so?"

"Stop blushing." I told her. "I just mean that he spouts optimistic stuff like that all the time. Like I said before, you're not as much of a coward anymore."

I read the diary entry again. I had to end this. I swore... when I left Hope's Peak, I swore... that I would make sure nobody ever had to be forced to make sick decisions ever again.

* * *

As we made our way further into the building, it started to look like an actual office building. I suppose the kids didn't have enough time to renovate the whole place.

We approached an elevator. Komaru tried to call it, but nothing happened. "It's no use... It's not budging."

I eyed the device on the wall next to it. It seemed to be some sort of sensor. "Huh. I think we might need a card key or something."

"Then... We can't use this elevator, huh?"

I looked around. "Given the theme with this whole damn city, I'd guess this place doesn't have any stairs. But this seems to be the only elevator in operation, as well. We're stuck."

"Wait a minute..." She started thinking. "Would Haiji maybe have a card key? He is the heir to the Towa Group..."

I groaned. "Great. So we gotta get out there and find a way to catch that pedo's attention while he's in his giant mech."

"The "pedo" you're talking about... That wouldn't be me, would it?" The voice of Haiji asked as he stepped up behind us.

"Haiji!" Komaru shouted.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

"Same reason you're here. You're looking for the device to control Monokumas, right?"

"You too, huh?"

"The Monokumas from all over Towa swarmed me all at once. Even with Big Bang, there were too many. So the plan's changed. Destroy the controller first, make the enemy lose their edge. After the Monokumas are out of the picture, we're just dealing with kids. We can turn this around. But I had no idea you two were already here. No wonder we didn't run into too many of 'em."

"Anyway... good timing." Komaru said. "Do you have a card key for this elevator?"

He stepped forward and inspected the sensor. He paled slightly. "...No, we don't need a card key for this... This elevator only works with retinal identification."

"Retinal? Is that an animal...?" Komaru asked.

"You gotta be kidding me..." I said, to both of their statements. "Retinal means the eye."

"But... Why's it locked in the first place?" Haiji wondered. "This lock shouldn't be on unless it's been manually set. Last time I saw, it was open... So who locked it? Don't tell me... Is this also her doing? She trying to toy with me...?"

"Look, stop rambling and just open it already." I said. "Your eyes will work, won't they?"

"No, the only thing that can release the lock is the eyes of Towa Group's chairman."

"The chairman? Your father?" Komaru asked. "You said... He was missing..."

"Missing, right..." Haiji's expression grew sad. "I only said that because... I didn't want to admit it... The old man is dead. The kids killed him."

"What!?" Komaru jumped.

"Wait, if he's dead..." I started. "Would a retinal scan even work anymore?"

"No, as long as we have his eyes, the scanner should still work. So... All we gotta do is bring the old man's body back here." Y'know, do you ever just call him dad?

"...H-His body!?" Komaru shouted, growing more pale by the second.

"Yeah. I think that's what whoever put the lock on this door wanted me to do. After all... His body is on this floor."

"On this floor?" Komaru repeated.

"Yeah, on this floor for sure. He was killed right before my eyes. The old man was killed in the Chairman's Office on this floor. Throat torn out by Monokumas... I... I ran away, but... I'm sure his body is still in the office. The Chairman's Office should be at the end of the hall over there. I'll leave the rest to you." He turned and started walking away.

I know nobody should have to take part in looting their dad's corpse, but I still asked "You're not coming with us?"

"If I have to go along with her sick little games... I'd rather give up entirely." He growled. "Besides, it might be faster to just destroy this whole building with Big Bang Monokuma."

"Uh, please don't. We're still _in _this building, y'know?"

"I know, I know. I'm just kidding." He said in a tone that was completely void of humour as he left us alone.

"Haiji... He's acting different now for some reason." Komaru noted. "And who's the "her" he mentioned?"

I stared after him for a moment longer before walking down the hall. "C'mon, let's try the Chairman's Office. Though I'm not excited about what we might find..."

* * *

**Albert saving Yuta and Taichi has paid off, they delivered the last of the Hit Lists (barring Kameko, but that one requires backtracking so screw it), Albert's theory of brainwashing has been proven, and our heroes have finally started their attack on Towa Hill. The final battle is just around the corner. Not literally, though.**

**You know, when I get this far in a story, I like to think about where the story started. Despite the fact that this is a story based on a spin-off, I actually had quite a few ideas for this story. Very early in my concept phase, I considered making Albert's captive another OC, probably relating to Toshihide and Susumu. However, I quickly scrapped that in favour of Chiaki, since she just makes more sense. I don't see a need to add an OC when a canon character can fill the role just fine. On that note, I also had ideas to throw in one of Albert's little siblings as another Warrior of Hope. I thought it would be interesting for him to meet up with someone he hadn't seen in years on opposing sides of a war, and it would give me a chance to explore Albert's home life a bit more. That idea was scrapped when I realized that, since Al's childhood was fairly normal, his sibling wouldn't have any trauma that would lead them to kill adults. When I stacked that up with the fact that I couldn't come up with an reason for them to be in this world, I cut the idea entirely.**

**Beta designs and concepts are fun.**

**Anyway, in the next chapter, Albert and Komaru will loot an old man's corpse for his eyeball.**


	16. Chapter 15

**Not a lot to say about this chapter. We're mainly setting up for the big finale. A lot happens, but it mainly just serves the next chapter or so. We're almost done with the novel conversations, there's only one more left. And at this point, the only way they're getting any answers for their plot-related questions are when they challenge the mastermind.**

**Either way, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

**The Home Stretch**

On our way to the Chairman's Office, we found ourselves inside a break room of some sort. And on one table, we found another novel.

_"A Complete Guide to Marriage Prep"_

_"With just this one book, you're safe from womb to tomb! From engagement to divorce, we have completely covered the know-hows of anything and everything related to marriage! Learn the ABCs of marriage!"_

"Seems like a fun read." I said, picking it up. "Who knows, maybe I'll learn a thing or two."

"Well, judging from the design and language, I think it might be intended for girls." Komaru pointed out.

"Eh, things are hardly ever used for their intended purposes. Besides, I might be the pinnacle of manliness, but I'm still a dreamer, y'know?"

"Hmm... But I remember you telling me you weren't interested in dating anyone. You said you were trying to make more "platonic" relationships, right?"

"I'm amazed you remember. But that doesn't matter. Just because I don't have any crushes _now _doesn't mean I don't want to get married one day. I guess you could say I'm just waiting for my soul mate." I chuckled.

"Ah, you can't do that, Al!" She jumped.

"What? Wait for my soul mate? I'm pretty sure there's no law against that, unless self-pleasure's been outlawed recently."

"No! First of all, ew! Second, if you keep talking about marriage and stuff, you're totally raising your death flag!"

"...Oh, uh, okay." I paused for a moment. "Y'know, under normal circumstances, I'd deny the existence of things like that, but given by experiences so far, I know better than to dis that."

"Oh, good! Characters who don't believe in curses or the power of God _always _get killed off!"

"Uh, well, that might be a problem, since I'm agnostic."

"Jeez, stop raising all those death flags!" She snapped. "Now we're really in a pinch!"

"I think you might be taking the whole "this world is a game in my world" thing a little too literally."

She ignored me. "Since that's the case, we have no choice but to raise a survival flag!"

"A what-now?"

"In tear-jerking dramas, surgeries that have a low success rate always miraculously work, right? And in anime, whenever you think the main character is gonna lose, somehow they win! So we have to raise a survival flag! Activate "Super Law Probability Principal!"" She announced.

"Okay... Uh, what do we do?"

"What do we do!?" She echoed. "The probability that we're going to defeat the children is a mere one percent! Oh no! There's no way we can win against them! I'm a normal high school girl and stuff!"

"...You've been saying shit like that since the moment I met you."

"W-Well yeah! I've been trying to raise my survival flag ever since!"

I rubbed my temple. "You know, the character who tried too hard always dies early, too."

* * *

When we reached the Chairman's Office, the first thing I noted was the intense smell of fat and iron in the air. Pools of dry crimson covered the carpeted floor and walls. I saw the old man's feet sticking out from behind his desk, which was also covered in blood.

I turned to Komaru. "You stay here. I'll get the eye."

"Are you sure...?" She asked.

"I've seen more corpses in my life than I can count. What's a little grave robbing on top of it?"

I stepped over toward the corpse. At first, I tried to avoid stepping in the blood too much, but when I realized that was impossible, I gave up and let my shoes get ruined. I knelt down and turned the body onto its back. He was staring at me with glassy eyes, and where his throat should've been was a bloody hole. His skin was pale and his muscles were stiff. Rigor mortis had set in a long time ago.

"Ugh, gross..." I hesitated before trying to pry his right eye out with my fingers. I wasn't getting anywhere, since my nails weren't very long and I was sweating, making it hard to grip a round object. It was around then I realized I never recovered my first aid kit after my imprisonment. Would've been nice to have right now. After a few seconds, I reached up on his desk and grabbed a pen, using the power of leverage to force the eye out and then poking any pieces of flesh that still attached it to the inside. "Ew..."

A minute after we entered, I was holding an eye that alone was probably worth more than my salary. Well, not anymore, I suppose, since the whole Towa Group is basically dead. Still, would make a nice souvenir.

We made our way back to the elevator. "Here goes nothing." I said, and I held the eye in front of the retinal scanner. It beeped, and the elevator started moving. "Awesome. We don't need this anymore, right? Wanna see how far I can throw it?"

"N-No, you can't! You'll get divine punishment!" Komaru warned.

I shook my head. "I told you, I don't believe in that garbage. The universe is gonna try to kill me, no matter what cultural or religious principles I follow. The only power of the dead is how they effected the world in life."

"That... might be true, but..."

"Think fast." As a cruel prank, I tossed her the eyeball. Out of instinct, she caught it, but immediately dropped it and shrieked. Like the bastard I am, I casually inspected myself. "Oh, look, I haven't been smitten yet. How quaint."

"...Huh?" Komaru was looking around, dazed. "Al? Did you say something?"

"I was just talking about how, if the divine really care about corpses, then I must be more powerful than they are. You get it?"

"Th-That's strange, for some reason... I thought I heard a voice..." She started walking down the hall, staring up at the ceiling like a dumbass.

"I just told you to stop with the occult stuff!"

"See! I hear it aga-" She turned toward me and fell on the floor in fear. "Kyaaaaaaah! Ah... Awawa... wawawa..."

"Have you completely lost your mind?" I asked. To be fair, if she did, I wouldn't hold it against her. Perhaps my joke went a little far, and the stress finally caused her to snap.

"G-G-G-Ghost! The ghost of a lost eye!"

"Yeah, good one, Komaru." I waved my hands sarcastically. "Oh, no, I'm being possessed. What a cruel fate this is."

"I'm serious!" Her head cocked to the side, and droll rolled down her face. "Miss... You're horrible... Throwing my eye away like that..." She returned to her terrified state. "I-I-I-I'm sorry! I was surprised, I dropped it on accident! I didn't mean to!"

"Komaru...?"

"I-I'm really sorry! I apologize, please! Don't curse me!" Her head slumped again. "Curse you...? There's no way I'd do something so lowly... I just... want you to listen." Normal again. "L-Listen...?"

"Get ahold of yourself!" I told her. "You're hallucinating!"

Possessed again. "My name is Tokuichi Towa... I was the chairman of Towa Group in the past..." Normal. "I-I know... You're Mister Haiji's father, right?" Possessed. "I see... You know Haiji. Do you know his little sister, Monaca, too?" Normal. "Little sister...? Monaca!? Then... that kid and Mister Haiji are siblings!?" Possessed. "Hm, so you do know about Monaca. In that case, I can get right to the point. I beg you, no matter what, using any means necessary... stop Monaca from going out of control! If you let her do this, the name of Towa will be finished! The ungrateful child, she forgets she is in my debt for taking her in, and revolts against me!?" Normal. "Taking her in...?" Possessed. "...That whelp's mother was my mistress. But that bitch abandoned her responsibility and forced Monaca on me when she was a baby." Normal. "But isn't a father expected to raise his own child?" Possessed. "If her mother wasn't going to raise her, I wouldn't have tolerated the pregnancy at all!" Normal. "Th-That's horrible..." Possessed. "I even let her stay in our home and raised her. I could have easily left her in an orphanage... But that child made me end up like this... She killed her own father! It's all that woman's fault! She's the one who made Monaca insane... I knew something was wrong the moment I noticed Monaca growing more rebellious..." Normal. "Wait, "that woman"?" Possessed. "Even thinking about her horrifies me... Hm?"

It was about this time I returned with a cup of water from the break room. I splashed the water onto Komaru's face. She stared up at me, dazed for a moment, before jumping to her feet and grabbing my shoulders. "Al, what are you doing!? I was just about to hear something important!"

"Look, I'm sorry I threw the eyeball at you. Jeez, just never hallucinate like that again, alright?"

"Hallucinate...? But he told me a lot of things! About the Towa family..."

"Yeah, cool. Sometimes, your mind does that. It's a lot harder to control your own mind than you might think." I sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Look, you're just tired. We just gotta get this over with, and you'll be able to dream all you want, alright?"

"I-I still don't get it, but... okay."

With that, the two of us stepped onto the elevator as it began its slow ascent through the floors of the building.

* * *

"Those Who Dream, Momoyo's Throat" I read. "I shouldn't have had that dream... If only thinking it could make it so, how easy that would be. When you think about something like that, how are you supposed to feel? To keep myself from thinking like that, I'll just keep trudging along with my head down. Though she has finally fulfilled her long-desired dream to become a novelist, Momoyo Muto's talent had dried up in less than 2 years. Her dream, her memory, her life, and the encounter too frail to call fate." I turned to Komaru. "It's kinda funny, but I just realized, you're the first friend I've had in a long time who I don't already know any of the ambitions of."

"Already...? Oh, because you knew my brother and the others before you met them." She recalled. "Because of that game, right? Dang On Rompa?"

"If that's what you want. But yeah, I got to know my friends' secrets before they even knew I existed. But you, well, we're on equal footing. All I knew before we met was what Makoto told me. So, how about it? What's your dream?"

She averted her gaze. "It's not like outside of this town is peaceful, so it might not really matter what my dream is..."

"What, are you embarrassed?"

"W-Well a little! Aren't all dreams a little bit embarrassing? My dream for the future is... greedy. It's embarrassing for me to think that far..."

"C'mon, our dreams are what give our life direction." I said. "It's not like I'm gonna laugh or something."

"No... You're definitely gonna laugh."

"I promise I won't."

"...Promise?"

"On my name and my life. Cross my heart, and all that."

"Okay... I've been thinking about it on and off since middle school... Um... I want to be a manga artist... Or, I think that like... It might be nice to be one..." She admitted.

"Is that it? Shit, you really had me going there for a minute."

"Y-You're really not going to make fun of me for that!?"

"What is there to make fun of? Creators are some of the most inspiring people there are. If it weren't for writers like Kodaka, or artists like Komatsuzaki, I'd have never known that this world even exists! And besides, for someone as indecisive as myself, having a desire to be something is admirable. I could never scoff at that."

"...Al..." She seemed to have been pleased by my support. "I'm glad that you're my friend. If I ever draw manga, I want you to be the first one to read it!"

"I can hardly wait." I said.

"What about you?" Komaru asked. "I don't think you ever told me your dream, either. You said you wanted to get married someday, but what about your career?"

"Good point." I considered it for a second. "Ever since getting to this world, I haven't really thought about anything beyond trying to suppress the Tragedy and return the world to normal. So I guess, right now, my dream is to try to make everyone happy. Especially my friends. That might sound naive or childish, but it's the truth."

"I think that sounds great!" She assured me. "But after all that, what do you think you would want to be?"

"Another good point. The Future Foundation probably won't disappear when the Tragedy's over, but I certainly don't want to spend my whole life as an agent. I guess..." I paused, and a smile found its way on my face. "I just had a funny thought. Earlier, I mentioned how I wanted to be a writer back in high school, right?"

"Are you thinking of going back to that?"

"Maybe. I mean, I'm still planning on writing a non-fiction book about the events of the Tragedy. Might as well write some fiction while I can think of it. But I never really thought about a specific medium. Novels, screenplays, animations. So who knows, maybe someday I could write a manga?"

"Oh! And we could collaborate!"

"Sounds like it could be fun. But maybe we shouldn't think too hard about that right now. After all, we're still in the middle of a war zone. Let's hurry up and get done with this."

"Yeah! As long as we're together, everything will turn out right!"

I smiled. A phrase like that took some serious optimism, but I definitely wasn't gonna squander it. Optimism is something a lot of people need to move forward.

* * *

We entered yet another arcade room, but there was one thing differentiating this room from the others.

"Kyaaa! Stop! Don't come near me!" Kotoko screamed as she clung to the ceiling, with Beast Monokumas swarming under her.

"That girl... What is she doing!?" Komaru asked.

"Something tells me she isn't up there for a good time." I said.

"Ah! You two! Please, help me! These perverted bear robots are gonna gang up on me!"

Well, I guess it's about time for me to accidentally kill another child. "So, I guess we should try to save the little girl who stole your virginity."

"What!? No she didn't!"

"A Monokuma kid is somewhere in this room, controlling them!" She explained. "Find that kid and friggin' kill 'em!"

"Yeah, uh, I'm not gonna do that." I said.

Still, we went around the room looking for a hiding child while the Beast Monokumas were distracted with Kotoko. When we found the child, they immediately started cowering from us, and the Monokumas started overheating. From there, it was pretty easy to demolish them all.

With that done, Kotoko jumped down and landed next to us. "Ah, I'm glad... Even the worthy Homer sometimes nods... Did I use that proverb right? I almost never say stuff like that, so I'm not sure. But just because you aren't used to it doesn't mean you should give up. Like those tentacles..." It took all my might not to call out "Simpsons reference." To the Homer thing, not the tentacles.

"Hey, why were you getting attacked?" Komaru asked. Good question.

"It is highly unfortunate, but it appears I too have been betrayed." She said with a huge smile on her face.

"Have you? You seem pretty alright with it." I noted.

"Well, this is an act, too. If I stop acting, it would be bad. I would lose my cool like some miserable wretch... To put this much effort into betraying me... I'm boiling with anger!"

"You're talking about Monaca, right?" Komaru asked.

"Yes, she said it herself. She doesn't care about Paradise, and never has. She was tricking us with all her talk about succeeding the will of Big Sis Junko. She even took advantage of the hope Big Sis Junko gave us... And she made everyone in the Warriors of Hope fight... No, more than that. Remember, after I lost to you two, I got ambushed by Monokuma Kids? I think that was her doing. Masaru and Jataro probably ended up the same way. She didn't just betray the Warriors of Hope... She wanted to kill us. She didn't believe in friendship or effort or victory... The Children's Paradise we dreamed of... It was never gonna happen, from the very beginning..."

"I'm not sure why I should care about any of that." I said. "What I want to know is, what's this Monaca girl really after?"

"I'm not sure... But she said something about The Successor to Junko Enoshima or something..."

"A... successor...?" I suddenly felt light-headed.

"She's twisting this whole situation to make a kingdom for herself, not a paradise for all." Well, at least she's not a communist. "And as queen of her little kingdom, she probably wants to be the pampered Successor. She's seriously the worst! She should just... choke on a bowl of poo and die!"

"Hey Al... What do you think?" Komaru asked me.

"Well, first of all, this little bitch could still be lying." I decided. "She wants us to let our guard down. The whole betrayal thing could be a setup."

"Never! Look, I'm completely unarmed! See?" She lifted her skirt to reveal her underwear to me.

"Jesus!" I averted my eyes. "Nobody wants to see that shit..." Well, given her past, she knows that's not true, but you get the point.

"H-Hey, stop!" Komaru begged.

Kotoko complied. "If you still don't trust me... I'll let you in on a little secret... The whereabouts of that big fat liar, Monaca. She should be inside The Excalibur, anchored at the rooftop helicopter port."

"The Excalibur?" Komaru repeated.

"It's that big airship thingy you so courageously dropped out of. It's on top of Towa Hills."

"If you know where she is, why don't you go confront her yourself?" I asked.

"Well, I was planning to do that! But that's when I got jumped by these Monokumas."

"The device that controls the Monokumas... Is that in this Excalibur thing, too?" Komaru asked.

"I'm guessing that liar poophead Monaca is holding on to it. She's controlling the Monokumas. Jeez, her stupid "magic"... Getting all carried away with that controller... You should snatch it from her. Then, you can give it to me for safekeeping."

"Yeah, sure, I'll keep that in mind." I said sarcastically. "More importantly, the controller's not all we're here for. Where's the hostage from Future Foundation being held?"

"You mean that blond guy who looks like he has really pretty nipples?" She asked.

"Yep, that sounds like our guy."

"The hostage you're talking about is in the storage room on the top floor of Towa Hills. Buuut... The key to that room is in that liar poophead bitch Monaca's pocket."

"Of course it is. Well, we were planning on hitting up the final battle before saving Byakuya, anyway. All I gotta do is defeat her, and we'll have everything wrapped up in one neat little bow."

"Yeah, and after she's defeated, strip her down, bury her legs and let starving dogs come eat her!"

"You don't have to go that far..." Komaru said. "All we have to do is make her give us the key."

"Ufufu. You're so kind, miss. But remember, the device that controls Monokumas... Just leave it to me, you can trust me with it! After all... I don't hate adults anymore. They're not Demons to me, not one bit! Now then, good day!" She did a curtsy and walked off.

"Good day?... Where is she going?"

"Doesn't hate adults, my ass. Nobody gets over trauma that quickly." I said.

"Right now, we know where we need to go, so let's get to the roof already!" Komaru reminded me. "Before there are more victims... We have to stop the kids and adults from fighting!"

"You don't gotta tell me twice. Let's just keep in mind that this could all still be a trap."

* * *

From there, we made rapid progress. We found a small book titled "A Quick and Easy Cleaning Technique," but I didn't stop to read it because, as a bachelor, I like my room the way it is and don't care what anyone says about it. Take that, people who have to live with others. Speaking of clean rooms, we eventually found ourselves in a very messy hallway, torn up and with bloodstains along the wall.

"Well, that's a pretty creepy door..." Komaru noted as we stopped in front of a thick iron door. "What should we do?"

"What, you're actually considering opening it?"

"I mean, there could be something important or useful in here..."

"Well, I'm not gonna be helping you if you end up "possessed" like last time." I warned her.

"Don't say that, it's scary..."

We got into position, and she slowly opened the door. Inside, we found ourselves in some sort of torture room. An iron maiden, a breaking wheel, a guillotine, and a chair with various tools and weapons strapped to it were in the corners of the room. Adding to the unsettling implications of the room was the camera unit set up in the center.

"Wh-What is this!?" Komaru shouted.

The smell of death lingered throughout the area. "Oh, god, I'm gonna vomit..." I pulled my shirt collar over my nose for protection. I looked around. "There... doesn't seem to be anything too important here. Let's get outside, please."

"Wait... This is..." Komaru knelt down at one part of the floor. There seemed to be a bloody smear across the ground. "What is this? It's written in blood... They're letters, right?" She got up and turned to me. "Hey, Al, can you take a look at th- Kyaaaah!"

"Jesus!" I jumped back. Not away from Komaru, but away from the same thing that caused her to jump. Haiji had apparently followed us all this way. "Christ, dude, announce your presence next time you tag along with us!"

"...So... it was here..." He growled, looking around the room.

"Um, Mister Haiji...?" Komaru asked.

"You have no idea what this room is, huh?" He asked back. "Well I'll tell you... This is a torture room. Those kids were torturing our loved ones in here."

"Torture!?"

"You guys saw that broadcast too, right? To try and flush us out from the base, those brats made us watch our loved ones get chopped up... It actually had the opposite effect, though. We were all too afraid to come out..."

"Wh-What?"

"That's... That's horrid." I said, but I honestly wasn't surprised the despairs were using such evil tactics.

"You understand now, right? This room... It represents all the despair we were forced to feel. All the adults back at the secret base... Their loved ones were killed right here."

"A-All of them...?" I repeated. For a moment, I had the thought that maybe Chiaki's parents were killed in this room. I pushed that thought out of my mind, though. Any family she might have, they'd have no reason to be in Towa.

"It's not an exaggeration. Every single one of us had loved ones killed in this room." Haiji insisted.

That insistence made me hesitate. "So... they somehow were able to know all your identities and track down your friends or relatives?"

Komaru thought about it. "Yeah... So?"

"I don't know... that doesn't sound like something a bunch of grade-schoolers should be capable of. I know they have Nagito, but..."

"Well, "capable" or not, that's what happened!" Haiji said. "And that's why we can't show any mercy, not anymore! I'll never forgive those bastards, never!" He stepped past us and gestured to a door at the back of the room. "This must be where they put the bodies... They threw them away like... broken toys... You want to see it? When you do... I'm sure you'll no longer want to take their side."

"I never said I was taking anyone's side." I said. "I was just wondering how much these kids have at their disposal."

He turned away from us. "...You go on ahead... I want to stay here a little longer. I have to... I have to tell the others about this place. I want to be able to describe it."

"Mister Haiji, I understand how you feel, but... Those kids didn't do this of their own free will..."

I stepped over to Komaru. "That's a little complicated. We can explain that after we're in the clear."

"Ah, but..." Despite her protest, I grabbed her wrist and led her along out the room.

Out in the hall, I took a breath of not-so-fresh air.

"Al... Shouldn't we explain the brainwashing to Haiji?" Komaru asked.

I shook my head. "He's in a lot of pain right now, and I don't think he'd be willing to listen to reason. In fact, I bet that'd just piss him off more."

"But... I wanted to ask him about his little sister, too..."

"I wouldn't put much stock into anything you learned while you were hallucinating. What I'm most worried about is how... weird everything is..."

"Weird...?"

"The torture victims are all related to the people at the secret base... Doesn't that just seem strange? It's like... they had no way of knowing who was being taken to the secret base or who was still out in the city. So how could they have known...? Jeez, every time we answer a question, ten more take its place."

"But we've come this far..." Komaru pointed out. "No way we can head back now. I'm sure it will be alright. You and me... We can do this."

"I don't doubt it. I'm just wondering if what we're doing is best, or if I'm still a puppet. I hate being a puppet..." I groaned at the memories. "Still, you're right, we've got no choice. We'll press forward. If anything comes up, well, we can burn that bridge when we get to it."

* * *

We walked into an odd, candle-lit chamber that seemed decorated to be a throne room. There was a large ritual circle in the center, and a shrine off to the side.

"For some reason... this room creeps me out." Komaru said.

"Compared to the rest of the city, it just looks ridiculous." I said. "Like, they're just trying too hard at this point. But I guess you can't expect subtlety from a bunch of grade-schoolers."

"Wow, you're mean. I'm glad you're on _my _side!"

"Shut up." I told her, pointing to a bomb Monokuma standing next to the throne. It threw a grenade at us. We jumped out of the way, and Komaru shot it in the eye. It exploded, revealing a passageway behind the wall. I walked over and inspected it. "Heh. A tunnel behind the throne. Classic."

"Do you think Byakuya could be in there?" Komaru asked. "This is exactly the kind of room where he'd be hidden!"

"It's certainly possible." With that, we made our way down the hall.

At one point, we found a crossroads. Well, not quite. The tunnel continued one way, but there was a ladder that led up a different way.

"This ladder... It's pretty suspicious." Komaru observed.

"They said Byakuya's in a storage room. I don't know who would put a storage room on top of a ladder." Then again, nothing in this city made much sense in terms of design.

"Well, let's just check it out for now." She stepped forward and began climbing the ladder.

"If you insist." I kept my eyes down to avoid looking up her skirt as I followed her up.

At the top, we found a single door. Inside, we found a bedroom. But there was one thing that unsettled me. The walls and roof were plastered with photos of a familiar face...

"Wh-What the fuck...?" I gasped. "These are all... pictures of Junko Enoshima!?"

"Huh? This person is Junko Enoshima?" Komaru asked. "She's different than how I pictured her. She looks like your typical, trendy teenage girl..."

"That's what everyone else thought, too. Before she destroyed the world and caused the deaths of millions."

"Sorry... You're right."

"More importantly... What is this room? It's like something an obsessive fan would have..." There was only one group I could think of that could be called fans of Junko... At that moment, Komaru seemed to notice something, and dashed to the other side of the room. "What is it?"

"Take a look at this..." She pointed. I noticed what she meant. There was a single photo on the wall with a spotlight on it, with all the other photos spread away from it. I approached and looked at it.

Junko was posing with a little green-haired girl in a wheelchair. Without any context, you'd think it was just a pair of friends, maybe relatives, taking a picture to remember each other with. With context, though...

"The girl in this photo with Junko... It's Monaca." Komaru told me.

"Well, I finally have a face to put to the name." I growled. Now, there was no doubt in my mind Monaca was just another despair. The other kids might have had motivations of their own, but from the testimony and the evidence, it's clear that Monaca is too far gone. "So... I'm assuming this is Monaca's room. No wonder she wants to be her Successor. She worships Junko from the bottom of her heart."

"But... don't you think it's a little strange?" Komaru asked me.

"I think this whole place is very strange. But that's besides the point. You're still on about that ghost thing, right? If you have any questions, you can save them for her."

"Well, I guess so..."

I shook my head and made my way for the door. "This place makes me sick. Let's get out of here."

* * *

**Anyone who played Despair Girls knows we're approaching the final battle at this point. There still might be a couple chapters, though, given how much Danganronpa likes to draw out its finales.**

**Albert's mad. I can't wait to write his interactions with Monaca.**

**Anyway, in the next chapter, Albert and Komaru will confront the mastermind. Will they save Towa City? Or will the despair drag them into the depths of Hell?**


	17. Chapter 16

**Alright, this is it. The "Final Battle." Albert and Komaru vs. the Li'l Ultimate Homeroom, Monaca. There's not that much more to say about it, really.**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

**Breaking the Spell**

A couple staircases later, we found ourselves on the rooftop. An acrid wind pushed lightly against us as we stared up at our next destination.

"That's it!" Komaru told me. "This huge airship is The Excalibur!"

I shielded my eyes as I stared up at it. "Jeez, talk about a gas guzzler. How much lift would it take to get that fortress off the ground?"

Several squads of Monokuma crawled their way toward us. We only paid them little mind as we fought our way to the entrance. There was a loading ramp leading up to it, but the bottom of the ramp was a few feet off the ground.

"Upsie-daisy!" I said, kneeling down and cupping my hands. Komaru stepped on and climbed me as I pushed her up. When she was off my shoulders, I smashed the nearest Monokuma, and kicked off a nearby ball Monokuma to boost myself up. I grasped the edge of the ramp, and Komaru caught my other hand, pulling me up. I flipped off the Monokumas below us as we started our way up the loading ramp.

"Hey, Al..." Komaru started.

"What is it?" I asked.

"A lot of terrible things happened to me in this city... And I have a lot of... bad memories... But I am so happy that I was able to meet you..."

"...Same here. Now c'mon, don't raise a death flag now. You can say that stuff after we're done with this."

"...Ah, you're right."

A few steps later, and we found ourselves standing before an iron door leading inside.

* * *

"The Family From the Day Before Yesterday." I read. "Author: Toko Fukawa."

"That's also her book, huh?" Komaru said sadly. "Why is there no synopsis written here?"

"That's not that rare among novels." I said. "With a name as prestigious as her's, she doesn't need a summary to sell books."

"I wonder what it's about..."

"Knowing her specialty, it's definitely a romance. But I couldn't tell you much more than that." I stared down at the novel. "You know... I may have already mentioned it, but... I didn't really know Toko all that well. And yet, while I definitely felt awful for everyone's passing... I think her's might have made me feel the worst. I wonder why that is..."

Komaru started trying to think like a psychologist. "Um... Maybe you felt bad _because _you didn't get to know her?"

"That's possible. Like I said, in the version of the game I played, Toko survived until the end. But because of my actions, she ended up being the fourth death. And on top of all that time she missed, I also know she was supposed to be a major character in these events. When I think of all the... well, for lack of better term, character development she missed out on because of me, it makes me feel worse. The first three deaths hurt, but I could at least accept them on some level, since that was their role in the story I knew. But Toko's death was my own doing, and speaking like a writer, I cut her character arc short. That's why... That's why I don't want to let anyone be forgotten. Because everyone has a story, and we can learn from the mistakes and lessons of others. And by remembering those stories, the characters in the story live on, forever."

"That's beautiful..." She marveled. "And here I was thinking about how weird you were every time you inspected a body."

"Yeah, well, there's a very big difference between honouring the dead and necrophilia. Anyway, I also mentioned writing a book about my experience with the Tragedy. Sometimes, I get a little hesitant about the thought, since I always feel like... an outsider looking in. Like I don't really deserve to write about these people. But things like these remind me of why I _have _to write my perspective. Because I don't want anyone to think that these people were just a statistic. I want others to know that they were important. And..."

"What is it...?" She asked.

"I... didn't want to be the ones to tell those captives that their friend or family member had died. Like Hiro's mom, or any of the others. How would they react? How would they look at me? Knowing it was, in some way, my fault." I sighed. "But I'm tired of lying and withholding information from people. When we're done with this, I'll take responsibility for my actions. It's the least I could do to make it up to them."

She looked at me for a moment. "You know, Al, you might not be some super-athlete, or a genius, or have any special talent like that. But you're a good friend. And I think that's more important."

I smiled. "Hey, same to you. I don't think I'd have made it this far without people like you or your brother. So... thanks. Heh, now I almost can't wait to start writing that book. A lot of bad things have happened, but that doesn't mean I can't make something good out of my memories."

"No, that's wrong!" Komaru shouted suddenly.

I was caught off guard. She sounded almost just like her brother for a second there. "Uh... what?"

"What I mean is, it's not just your memory. It's both our memories, together. Right?"

"...Right." I nodded. "Alright, c'mon, let's go reduce this war to nothing but bad memories."

"...Hey, where do you learn to say cool lines like that?" She asked. Still easy to impress, I see.

"Eh, after so many traumatic events, it kinda becomes second nature." I explained.

* * *

We approached a massive door that seemed designed to have a... cultist feel to it. It was large and decorated, like something from a church.

"Well, never let it be said the despairs don't have a flair for the dramatic." I said, eyeing the decor.

"Al... We're going to be alright, aren't we?" Komaru asked.

"Usually, cynicism is my forte, but I know we can do this. We came this far already, right? If anything, they should be scared of _us_."

"You're right... Yeah, I guess you're right! After all, we're a powerful team."

"Alright... here goes nothing. You ready?" I asked as I approached the door and grasped the handle.

"A ready as I'll ever be." She said, pointing her gun at the door.

I counted to three before shoving the door open with all my weight. Komaru rushed forward, and I drew my weapon, both of us looking around for an enemy. There was only one figure in the room, however.

"Hey hey hey! So you finally decided to show up, huh?" An all-black Monokuma said, sat on a raised throne in the center of the room. It was, for lack of a better term, pimpin'. It had a fedora, gold teeth, and a gold chain with a padlock around its neck, along with a black tie. It was also smoking a cigar. What I took most note with, however, was the fact that it wore a black eyepatch over its right eye, making the red one the only one visible. "So slow! This isn't a manga, it shouldn't take a whole year for a day to pass!"

"A black... Monokuma?" Komaru realized.

"And it's talking." I noted. "That's, uh... weird? Well, not too weird, uh... Annoying?"

"Hey, fuck off, Four Eyes!" It snapped at me. "I wouldn't expect some pasty four-eyed fatass nerd to understand my charm. I get no respect. Yo, I'm so baller, if a professional musician ever came to my concert, they'd retire the next day! I'd make 'em choke on the Haterade! And you're gonna be chokin' too when I'm done with ya!"

Pasty? I'm not that pale, am I? "What the hell is this thing? It doesn't seem very... intelligent."

"Could it...? Does it have an AI, like Shirokuma?" Komaru wondered.

"Didja say Shirokuma? So ya know him, huh? How's Li'l Bro doin'!?"

"Brothers...?" Komaru jumped.

I shrugged. "Honestly, should've seem that coming. Monokumas are usually black and white. We meet an all-white one. Makes sense there'd be a black one. Shirokuma means white bear... so, is it safe to assume you're named Kurokuma, Brother Bear?"

"Well, he's _like _a brother!" The bear clarified. "We bearfolk stick together, y'know!? But that ain't important! Don't you think it's strange? Huh? Weiiird!? I'm talkin' about why Monaca ain't here! To tell ya the truth... It's nap time for little Monaca..."

"Nap time?" I repeated. What bullshit.

"Well yeah, she's still a kid, after all! She wore herself out bein' all hyped up!" He pointed to the right side of the room, where there were three doors lined vertically. The red door was on the same level as us. The green door required us to take a ramp up. The blue door, which was highest up, required a ladder to reach it.

"Wh-What is this...?" Komaru asked.

"If you're a brave enough chick to disturb her nap, you could always try opening the door..."

I eyed them all. "Which one...?"

"Hell if I know! Monaca made this little trap to keep out bigmouths like me, see? If you open the wrong door, blammo! Instant death! Hm, hello nasty! Buuut, if you leave her be, she'll sleep for like, three years. Now whatcha whatcha gonna do!? Hurry! Choose! Dammit you're makin' me impatient!"

I sighed and turned to Komaru. "I shouldn't have to say that we don't have enough time to wait. You've met this kid before, right? What do you think? Anything about her that might be a clue to what she'd choose?"

She stared up at our three options. "Hm, rather than "choose," it's more like... Which would she even be able to access...?"

I took a second to realize what she meant. "Right, Nagisa mentioned something about her legs before... and she was in a wheelchair in that picture... But it can't be that easy, right? I mean, Kurokuma here just said it's a trap. Unless it's a double bluff? Or even a shell game?" I shook my head. Too many variables.

"Y-Yeah, you're right..." Komaru said. She hesitated, but began walking over toward her choice. I watched as she climbed the ladder to the blue door.

As she carefully pulled it open, a small girl with green hair sprung out, as if launched into the air by a cannon or something. She fell from the area at the top of the ladder and landed between me and Kurokuma gracefully. Honestly, if her legs weren't broken before, I'd have bet that landing would've done the job. Amazingly, though, she was just fine.

"Woooaaah!" Kurokuma jumped back overdramatically and fell off its throne.

"Good morning!" Monaca stood tall and faced us with a pleasant, innocent smile. "Good morning!"

As Komaru climbed down the ladder to join us, I examined the girl before me. Despite her adorable smile, I sensed a malice beneath it all. A twisted malice, a desire for harm and destruction. When her gaze fell on me, I could feel her eyes all over me. Reading me. I could hear the gears turning in her head, trying to figure out the best way to manipulate me into fulfilling her whims. A worthy opponent, I guess. Aside from that, though, her appearance made me think of what a younger Miaya would look like with green hair and eyes. Given how genetics in this world works, as well as how anime likes to use design for foreshadowing, that didn't make me feel too good. Hopefully, we won't have to deal with any last-minute plot-twists.

"Huh? She stood up! Monaca is standing!" Kurokuma shouted.

"I knew it... You can stand... Your legs aren't paralyzed..." Komaru said.

The little girl looked down and, with a hint of sarcasm, gasped in shock. "...Oh!? Would you look at that, you're totally right!"

"And you were like that from the beginning, right?" Komaru pressed. "You just pretended to be disabled."

"Ah, don't tell me... You saw my secret room, didn't you?" Monaca seemed legitimately sad, like a kid whose diary was read.

"So that _was _your room... I saw the photo of you and Junko, so I figured that was your room... But something didn't add up. To even get to that room, you have to climb up a ladder. There's no way you would make a place like that your room if your legs were disabled."

"I see, so that's how you figured it out... Ufufu, you might have a stupid-looking face, but you sure are pretty smart."

"But why pretend that you're disabled?" Komaru demanded.

"Because pitiful children are the most powerful, don't you think?"

"...Huh?"

"Monaca's home life was terrible... She didn't feel like she belonged there. But Monaca was more brilliant than her brother or her father, and they hated her for it... But then, I thought of a way I could counter their neglect and cruelty... All I had to do was become a pitiful figure... Then, I would have the whole world's sympathy. The wheelchair was inconvenient, of course, but thanks to the act, I acquired much... I even acquired the Warriors of Hope... And Papa and Big Brother were a little nicer to me, too. They thought they were the reason I ended up in a wheelchair, so they _really _pitied me."

"You tricked everyone all this time..." Komaru muttered.

"You... You're a monster..." I said. I could see it in her eyes. During her speech, they became like little voids, pools of despair. "That kind of manipulation is just... wrong."

"Maybe. But to survive in that horrible world... I had to be. When Monaca talks, everyone freezes... When Monaca smiles, everyone stops smiling... For Monaca, the outsider, the eyesore, to survive in that house, she did what she had to do."

Komaru hesitated, but asked, "I wanna ask you... The "Papa" and "Big Brother" you mentioned... Are they from the Towa family?"

"...Oh, so you know that much, too..." Monaca muttered.

Komaru turned to me with a smug smile. "See, Al! It _wasn't _a hallucination! The ghost was real!"

"Th-That's just a coincidence!" I snapped. "Your mind just... subconsciously figured it out. Just a mix of delusion and lucky guessing."

"It's true, fantasy and reality overlap sometimes!" Kurokuma agreed. "I'm so desperate to make my fantasies real... That's why whenever I think about the girl I like, I strip her naked in my mind, and pose her-"

"Okay, now's not the time for that talk. Silent mode!" Monaca commanded. Kurokuma froze in place, and his voice record scratched to a halt.

"Thank you for that." I said sincerely. "So this was your plan all along, right? Use Nagito and myself to bring Komaru here? Why do something like that, that could compromise your whole plan?"

"My plan...?" She turned to me, confused. "Oh, you mean the Children's Paradise. Well, personally, I don't really care about that. Monaca has a much more important job to do."

"Does it have something to do with The Successor...?" Komaru asked.

"Yep, that's right. The Successor is the most important thing to Monaca. And for that plan, I wanted you to come this far, Big Sis. After all... You are essential for The Successor..."

"...Huh?"

"Just what I'd expect from the little sister of the Ultimate Hope! You're so impressive, meow! Completely different than when I first met you! Now you have the face of a savior..."

"Look, enough of this." I stepped forward. "Surrender the controls for the Monokumas, and the key to the hostage's cell, or else I'm gonna get violent. Those are my terms."

"Key? Monaca doesn't have anyyything like thaaat."

"You think I'm gonna buy that? Stop playing dumb. You're just wasting my time."

"Like I said, I don't have it!" She insisted. "You want to strip search me to make sure? Monaca doesn't mind... But weren't you guys in a hurry?" She pulled out a small handheld device, almost like a Gameboy. "You wanna break this controller, right? You wanna stop Mister Monokuma, riiight?"

"I-Is that!?" Komaru jumped.

"Monaca Towa, chief executive of Towa Group Robotics Branch... This is the magic that Monaca invented! And as long as Monaca has her magic, Monaca can control the Monokumas and the Monokuma Kids..."

"Y-You're the one brainwashing them, too!?" Komaru asked. That's... not really a twist.

"Huh? You didn't know that?" Monaca asked back.

"Well, if you won't play nice, then I'm gonna make you hand over that controller, and the hostage, by force." I said.

"Hm... No, I don't think that's possible... After all, I have a trump card."

"A trump card...?" Komaru repeated. Neither of us liked the sound of that, especially considering the last place we heard it.

"A super big awesome battle robot the Towa Group Robotics Branch created... That is Monaca's masterpiece! It's sooo much better than the other Warriors of Hope robots! Sooo, Mister Kurokuma! I leave it to you!"

Kurokuma stood still for a moment longer before suddenly leaping into the air. "Hell yeah! Leave it to me, Monaca!" Out of nowhere, he pulled out a controller similar to the ones the other kids had, and threw it to her. Then, a giant red blanket fell over the center of the room, covering the throne. A shape formed underneath it, twisting and wiggling. Finally, the blanket flew off, revealing a four-legged robot with multiple arms and weapons. In one hand, it held a staff with what seemed to be a chair on the end of it. In another hand, it held a rifle. On the other side, it had one free hand, and its final hand held a giant axe. There were also various drills sticking out near the bottom of its, uh, torso, I guess. Its face was simply a painted-on version of Monokuma's, and there were various blinking lights spread across its frame. As the robot displayed itself before us, a voice called out from inside it.

**"Mage Robot Black Suspirian!"**

Kurokuma then proceeded to jump at the robot, where a magnet or something must've pulled it inside. And, at that moment, the staff lowered enough for Monaca to strap herself into the chair at the top. When all of that was done, the robot stood before us it all its glory.

"Okay..." I started. "It might seem intimidating, but I'd bet those blinking lights are weak points. We just gotta strike at those."

"Got it." Komaru said, readying her gun.

"Yeah, you know the fuckin' drill!" Kurokuma called out as the robot positioned its drills toward us and surged forward. Okay, gotta admit, good pun.

"Shit!" I didn't have time to appreciate it, though, as Komaru and I dove to opposite sides of the robot. I pulled out my own weapon, though with how big this robot was, I doubted melee was the way to go on this one. We were gonna have to play the same strategy we did against Masaru; I'd be the distraction, and Komaru would take potshots.

Speaking of potshots, the rifle hand started taking some at me. I was only able to avoid them because I was already on the move. I couldn't see how Komaru was doing since she was on the other side of the machine. I think she was dealing with the drills, but that was just a guess. In my distraction, I felt a surge of hot energy hit my hand, sending my weapon flying out of my grasp.

"No!" Even if it wasn't doing me any favours, lacking a weapon at all made me that much more defenceless. I turned to retrieve it, and Monaca took advantage of my further distraction by swinging her axe at me. I was expecting the blade to cut me in half, but it was brunt enough to avoid that outcome. It smashed into my right side with incredible force, and I could hear a sickening crack somewhere inside me. My arm was crushed against me at such an odd angle, I felt my shoulder pop out of its socket as pain surged through the joint. Monaca wasn't playing games.

I flew quite a few yards across the room, coincidentally landing a few feet away from my weapon. I tried to sit up, but of course my shoulder was still fucked. Looking over, the joint looked slightly disformed. The pain was intense. Tears stung my eyes. Through my tears, however, I could see Komaru struggling. Monaca had her cornered between a drill and a bomb. Despite my injury, I reached over and grabbed my weapon with my good arm, cranked it up to the highest frequency, and threw it desperately. It didn't do any damage, but it managed to hit the drill in a way that caused it to stop spinning for a moment, allowing Komaru to slip by it. Guess her brother's luck is rubbing off on her.

I grit my teeth. "Hey, Komaru, gimme a hand here real quick!"

She ran over to me, her eyes widening when she saw my shoulder. "Wh-What's wrong!?"

I grabbed my arm, carefully but firmly putting it into a proper position. "I need to to carefully push my shoulder back in place. Carefully but firmly."

"Um, are you sure?" She held my arm nervously.

"Yeah, just chill out, and- Ngh!" I nearly bit off my own tongue as she pushed it back into place without warning. The pain was comparatively better, but I was worried about whatever damages to the tissue there might've been. Since I didn't have access to a medical professional at the moment, however, I just forced myself to work through the agony without putting too much strain on my right side. I stood and tried to make my way over to my weapon as Komaru ran in the other direction.

Monaca was watching me with that smile of her's. As she threw all manner of weaponry at me, she was talking. "Albert Wright. You were the "rogue agent" in Big Sis Junko's game. You helped kill her. Even now, you struggle and squirm to win. Monaca can't wait to crush your hope with her very own hands!"

"Hope's got nothing to do with it." I said, doing my best to avoid her attacks. Duck a shot, weave around a bomb, run away from any drills... "I'm a cynic by nature. I only hope for the simplest things, really. It's just that, no matter how much despair you shove down my throat, I won't give up. I can't. Because I'm Albert Wright. I'm not the Ultimate Physicist, or the Ultimate Psychologist, or even from this world. What I _am_, however, is the seventeenth student of the Hope's Peak killing game, and an agent of Future Foundation. In both instances, I drowned in despair while I struggled to keep those around me afloat. So I'll tell you the same thing I told your precious "Big Sis Junko." I dare you to kill me. Stab me, strangle me, bludgeon me, crush me, hack me, drown me, ignite me, execute me. It doesn't matter. You can kill my body... But you can never kill my spirit!" As I picked up my weapon, I did my best to strike a shonen protagonist pose, despite my injuries. The theatrics were important for this plan to work.

Monaca basically scoffed at me. "Big Sis Junko was right. You do talk way too much. It's sleepy time, now." She raised her axe at me.

I smirked.

Komaru, who I had managed to divert attention away from long enough, shot the last blinking light. The robot jerked for a second before regurgitating Kurokuma, who seemed shocked, to say the least.

"Wait, don't shoot! I was just about to go donate to charity!" It begged.

"Shut up." I demanded. I swung my baton into its torso. Since my weapon was still on the highest frequency, it smashed through like butter. Its body flew away like waste while its head, which was separated in the strike, flew up into the air. With what little baseball skills I had, I reeled back and, as it fell back down, struck its head with the force of a home run. It flew, smashing through a window on the other side of the room, and into the streets below. Good riddance.

Monaca's giant robot went limp without its main controller. "Huh...? Is Monaca... about to lose? No... that can't be..." The robot exploded, and the chair she sat on flew off of it, and she flew out of it. She landed quite a distance from where her robot's remains were. We approached her.

As the explosions died down, I stepped forward. I did my best to look intimidating, but my shoulder was seriously stinging from exertion. I tucked my right arm in my pocket to avoid moving it too much more as I stood before the little girl.

"Huh? You're kidding me... Monaca... lost?"

"Yeah. Guess you aren't as clever as you thought. Now be a good little girl and _surrender_."

* * *

**Alright, if you got this far, you probably guessed that this isn't the final battle, even if you haven't played Despair Girls before. This battle was way too easy for a finale, after all. (Although if that's your mindset, you might be a bit disappointed when the real one comes.) Regardless, a fair warning, the next chapter will contain a lot of talking. So if you prefer these stories for their dialogue, good. If you like them for their action, ah, well, there might be quite a bit of that as well. Maybe.**

**Another thing you might find interesting is that Albert actually sustained a serious injury. I mean, it isn't a lethal injury, but a dislocated shoulder can be a pretty big deal depending on how bad it is. Still, I thought it would've been stupid for Albert to get this far without getting injured in some way. And it's not like he's invincible, recall the Laser Cannon Incident of Chapter 16 back in the first story. (I just realized Al sustains injuries in the 16th chapter of each story. Maybe that's an unlucky number for him.) Also, unlike most fiction where a character just fixes their shoulder and gets on with it, I did want to portray it as something a little more serious. As such, Albert's shoulder is gonna be slightly crippled for the rest of this story. Hopefully that doesn't get in the way too much.**

**Regardless, in the next chapter, Albert and Komaru will attempt to end the Demon Hunting game.**


	18. Chapter 17

**Sorry this one took so long. Aside from the fact that this chapter is very long and dialogue heavy, I was also quite busy this week. Still, here we are. ****So, will Albert and Komaru be able to end the Demon Hunting game? Or will Monaca's machinations get in their way?**

**I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

**Absolute Despair Girl**

"Now be a good little girl and _surrender_." I demanded.

"No... Nooo..." Monaca squirmed as I stood over her. "Is Monaca gonna be killed? I don't wanna die..."

"No, there's no way I'd kill you!" Komaru assured her. "Of course not!"

"But if you don't hand over that controller quickly, I won't be pleasant." I insisted.

"N-No, that's no good... If this controller is destroyed, Monaca's plan will fail... And if that happens, Monaca can no longer be The Successor..."

"Sounds good to me." I said. "Now hurry it up, or I'm gonna bring out the paddle." I raised my baton for effect. Of course, its power was off, so instead of being bone-breakingly powerful, it was just a blunt object, but that was good enough for my threat to work.

"Ugh... F-Fine..." She produced the controller, and Komaru snatched it from her.

"If I break this, the Monokumas stop... And the brainwashing helmets will deactivate, right?"

"Well, breaking it seems a bit excessive." I said. "We don't want to leave them rampaging without something to control them, after all. Isn't there a surrender command you can issue or something?"

She eyed the screen for a moment, then looked around at the various buttons lining the machine. "Um... I don't think so..."

I thought for a moment. A machine like this would obviously work with a signal. Would a machine keep performing a task it was assigned through signal if the signal was broken? Admittedly, I didn't know the answer to that. I didn't know that much about machines. If only Chihiro were here...

I sighed. At this point, there was only really one option my beaten, sleep-deprived mind could think up. "Okay, let's break it..."

"But that was... Well, it was kinda easy." She said, still staring at the controller. "Is it really okay?"

"I get what you mean, but... sometimes things don't end with huge explosions or fireworks or whatever. Or would you rather we had an ending where we get our asses kicked and have to endure a bunch of despair-inducing trials? Like your older brother?"

"I don't want that, but..."

"Besides, we still gotta rescue Byakuya, get evacuations up, and help all those traumatized kids... This ending won't just tie up all the loose ends. So let's get this part done so we can get to the nice stuff."

Komaru was still uneasy. "U-Um, it's... really okay to break this, right?"

"Yeah, it's fine... Just do it..." I assured her.

"S-Sorry... Something... is concerning me..."

"...Concerning you?" Monaca repeated. "...Concerning or disconcerting? Could it be that maybe you wanna be Monaca's ally at the last minute? So you're hes... hesi-"

"That's not it." I said. "You're just scared, right? But... it's fine. You don't need to hesitate, right?"

"Y-You're right." Komaru said.

"Noooes! Please, waiiit!" The voice of Kotoko shouted as she pushed open the door and ran inside.

"Oh, great, now she's here..." I groaned.

"Don't... Don't break the controller..."

"Yaaay! Kotoko, you came to saaave me!" Monaca cheered.

"Shut up! Who the hell would want to save _you_?" She snapped.

"...Huh?"

"I didn't know breaking the controller would also end the brainwashing... That would be bad. If it's just the Monokumas, that's fine, but the kids... We'd lose all the friends we made... If that happens... I'm gonna be all alone!"

"You didn't make any friends, you brainwashed them!" I snapped. "You deserve to be alone!"

"But even then... I don't wanna be alone! Please, pretty please don't take my friends away!"

"Kotoko's right. Don't break that controller." Monaca begged. "If you don't, I promise... I'll kill all of the adults and build Paradise."

"Sh-Shut your mouth, traitor!" Kotoko snapped again.

"Kotoko... Why are you saying such mean things? We're friends..."

"N-No, we're not! You're just a traitor who killed her own friends!"

"Oh please, please forgive me... Let's just forgive and forget... Live in the now. Let's kill adults together again..."

"Shut up! Be quiet! Die!"

"Wh-What's going on?" Komaru asked me.

"I don't even care anymore. Just hurry up and break it." I said.

"N-No! Stop!" Kotoko begged. "Please... Leave me just some hope... I'll even settle for just a little!"

"You'll forgive me if I don't care about the hopes of people who would use brainwashing and genocide to achieve their goals." I said coldly.

"Miss Komaru Naegi... Please listen to Monaca's request, too... Please, make the right choice... If you don't choose right, you're going to replay this moment over and over... So make the correct choice and end this properly."

"Correct... choice?" She stared down at the controller once again. She stared for several seconds, not saying a word.

"Huuuh? You're not gonna break it? That's weird... Why not?" Monaca asked. "Didn't ya want to stop those crazy kids? Didn't ya want to be the heroine of this dirty, lame, penal colony? Didn't ya want to be everyone's hope? Just like your brother...?"

"I... I..." Komaru stuttered, unable to answer.

"Are you sure? If you don't break the controller now, this will just repeat over and over..."

"Something's wrong." I cut in. "Why do you suddenly want her to break the controller?"

"Because! This! Is! A! Magic! Scene!" Monaca snapped. "A happy! Ending! Scene! With all the Monokumas! And Monokuma Kids! Gone! For! Good! Right!?"

"I-Ignore her!" Kotoko insisted. "It's okay, you didn't make a mistake at all!"

"Kotoko, give it up. Watch the controller get destroyed..." Monaca said, pretending to cry.

"Sh-Shut up! You be quiet!"

"Al... What should I do...?" Komaru asked.

"I... I don't know." I admitted. "But... I don't think it's a good idea to break it, not right now... We'll need more evidence before we do something we might regret..."

"Th-That's right..." Kotoko agreed. "Good..."

"Thank you, Big Sis!" Monaca beamed. "Thank you so much for not breaking Monaca's special controller!"

"Which side are you on?" I asked, squinting at her.

"It would be such a bummer if the end credits started rolling before all the cast was here..."

"Cast...?" Komaru repeated.

"Hm... He'll be here soon. Probably running down the hallway right now... See! His hand's on the door!"

As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the large ornate door opened once more, revealing Haiji Towa.

"Found you... Monaca."

"Seee! Just like Monaca said! Bullseye! We do have a sibling connection after all."

"Why are you here?" I asked him.

Ignoring me, ignoring all of us, he stepped forward until he was right in front of Monaca. He stared down at her, sitting on the floor. She smiled. "Big Brother came to saaave Monaca, right? They're being so mean! Everybody's bullying Monaca! Monaca's getting picked on by the kids _and _the adults... Isn't that awful? Big Brother, save Monaca!" Haiji didn't respond. He just took a deep breath.

"Don't tell me that's actually what you're here for?" I said.

Just then, Haiji's calm exterior fell away, and he broke out in uproarious laughter. He stepped further toward Monaca. "Don't be an idiot! Who that hell's gonna save you!?"

"B-Big Brother..."

"Stop calling me that!" He demanded. "You're not my sister! You're just the old man's mistake... I didn't want you around! I never thought of you as family!"

"Why...? Why are you being so mean...? Monaca's just a child..."

"You're no child! You're a brat who never learned her place and now it's biting you in the ass! It's over, Monaca. I'm finishing this now."

"Please, stop Big Brother... I'm scared..."

"U-Um, Mister Haiji..." Komaru spoke up.

He turned to her. But he didn't quite see her. He only saw what was in her hands. "So that's... the controller for the Monokumas..."

She looked down. "...Huh?"

"What're you doing? Hurry up and destroy it! End this nightmare already!"

"Please stop!" Monaca cried. "If you destroy that controller, all of Monaca's hard work will be wasted... I won't be able to create The Successor... I won't be able to inflict despair on the world!"

"How crazy are you...?" Haiji asked before approaching Komaru. "Now hurry! Hurry up and destroy it!"

"I-I know, but..."

"Don't!" Kotoko shouted. "You can't destroy it, this is some kind of trap!"

"Destroy it! Destroy it, Komaru!" Haiji demanded.

My mind was going a mile a minute, but I couldn't see where this was going. Why did Monaca want the controller broken while pretending she didn't?

Komaru apparently couldn't figure it out, either. She stood there, staring down at the controller, not daring to move.

Kotoko sighed. "Ah... I'm glad... You understood us."

"What is this?" Haiji asked. "Why are you siding with those brats?"

"I'm not siding with them or anything..." Komaru explained.

"Did you forget what they did? If that's the case, then shut up and listen!"

"Listen...?"

I was expecting Haiji to get into one of his speeches about the horrors he's witnessed, but instead, he remained dead silent, just like the rest of us. That's when I heard it. The sound of a distant crowd chanting one word.

Monaca marveled. "Wow, amazing... A big chorus of "Destroy, destroy, destroy"..."

"Wh-What is this?" Komaru asked.

"All this time, the people outside were watching." Haiji revealed. "They saw you defeat Monaca's robot."

I turned to Monaca with a glare. "You're recording this? Why?"

"Huh? Monaca has no idea..."

"They're still watching..." Haiji said. His tone slowly shifted to one of pleading. "They're waiting for you to destroy that controller. Everyone expects it from you. They're waiting for you to wake them up from this nightmare. You... showed us hope. We were finally able to stand up to those brats because of your speech! That's why I'm even here! That's why I'm not afraid of these kids anymore! It's all thanks to you... You are hope itself to us..." When Komaru didn't respond, he turned away. "But if you still can't make up your mind... I'll just have to help you choose."

He stepped over to Monaca and roughly grabbed her hair. "Tell them what you've done. Everything. The whole truth. Then there's no way they'd side with you."

"E-Everything...?"

"The reason why you want a successor. Everything. Tell them the truth, or I'll make sure you regret it."

"F-Fine... I'll talk." Haiji finally let go of her as she spoke. "It all started when I was still attending the Hope's Peak Academy elementary school. Monaca did a little prank to convince the Warriors of Hope to commit suicide..."

"Wait, what!? That was a prank?" Kotoko asked.

"Oh, of course. Monaca didn't intend to end her own life at all. But you all took it so seriously. And around then, Monaca met Big Sis Junko with the most miraculous timing. The moment Monaca saw her... Monaca understood. Big Sis Junko is light itself that will shine down on Monaca's boring little world. It's a miracle! Thank you, God! At least, at the time I thought it was a miracle. But later I learned it was inevitable. She came into my life just to take advantage of me."

"...Take advantage...?" Komaru repeated.

"By then, Monaca was already chief executive at Towa Group's robotics branch." She turned to Haiji. "Oh, Big Brother, I'm sorry about that... Wasn't it painful to watch your little sister surpass you?" Haiji only responded with a glare. Then she turned to her former friend. "And I'm also sorry to you, Kotoko. You didn't want to hear that little truth, did you? Big Sis Junko only cared about Monaca. The other Warriors of Hope were just bonuses."

"D-Don't make stuff up! Big Sis loved us all!"

"Love? What are you talking about? There's no way someone would love you. Your own parents didn't even love you."

At that moment, Haiji bent down and grabbed her hair again, yanking hard. "Enough. Just keep talking."

"I-I'm sorry, I got it... Stop, Big Brother..." Reluctantly, he did. "A-At first... Big Sis Junko was looking for a corporation that could mass produce machines. So that she could use them for The Tragedy. That's why, to meet her expectations, Monaca started making all the Mister Monokumas. Concentrating all of the resources of Towa Group's Robotics Branch..."

I turned to Haiji. "And... nobody at Towa thought to check in on this at all?"

"I lied." Monaca answered for him. "To Papa and Big Brother. I told them I was building robots that could be domestic helpers and emergency aid workers..."

"And they actually bought that?"

"No... It's more like... we turned a blind eye." Haiji explained. "She was the outsider in our family... But she's tenacious, with a genius intellect. As long as she kept earning Towa Group money... We let her do whatever she wanted." So in the end, it all comes back to capitalism, ho. "This brat took advantage of her position and started mass producing these monsters on her own. I didn't know what the machines were even for, so as usual, I let her be... But I did think they had a weird design."

"And thanks to that, Monaca made Big Sis Junko so happy. She started using them for the incident. That's what helped the incident get bigger and bigger..."

"That's when the old man finally realized what was up." Haiji said. "And when he tried to stop you... This little bitch sold us the idea of making a weapon to fight the Monokumas."

"You made them, and then you sold the weapons to fight against them as well?" Komaru asked.

"So the Towa Group was playing both sides. They basically became war profiteers." I said.

"Hmph... Just what a filthy Demon would do." Kotoko muttered.

"We didn't have a choice..." Haiji explained. "We were in too deep. If we went against the Despair group, they'd reveal what Monaca did under Towa's name. Then Towa makes enemies with both forces. We'd be shunned... Go extinct."

"Anyyyways, Towa Group did the riiight thing and chose to coexist with despair." Monaca said. "And to the public, they looked like heroes, fighting against the incident. But behind the scenes... They were working for both sides. The reason that air purifier they developed was so effective was because... They were part of the cause in the first place. That's why the incident didn't hit them as hard. Those idiot adults didn't know that, so they worshiped Towa Group like they were saviors... Buuut, you better not blame this all on me. By the end, even Papa was into it... He supported the incident for money and honor. He ended up being a patron of Big Sis Junko."

"So that's why you distanced yourself from Future Foundation..." Komaru realized. "You didn't want to get found out."

"No matter how rotten it is... Towa Group is still my legacy." Haiji said. "I want to protect it."

"But the good times had to end eventually... Just when things were gonna get much, much more fun, Big Sis Junko died. All thanks to your brother, Miss Komaru Naegi. Since then, Future FOundation gained power, and Big Sis's influence got weaker and weaker... Monaca tried her best to rebuild it by any means necessary... But Papa just said "It's over," and gave up like all the fickle, wishy-washy adults do. Papa betrayed Big Sis. No matter what Monaca said, Papa just wouldn't listen anymore..."

"And you couldn't forgive him for that, could you?" Haiji asked. "That's why you targeted this city."

"That's what you told us, right?" Kotoko asked. "That we had to fulfill the dream that Big Sis Junko gave us, and build Paradise."

"Monaca... is so grateful to the Warriors of Hope. Adults are dirty Demons who killed Big Sis... You guys killed them off so well for me. I was sooo happy... It was just as I thought, kids are so simple-minded. The truth is... Monaca didn't really care about things like revenge and paradise... Succeeding Big Sis's will was far more important. Monaca... doesn't want Junko Enoshima's legacy to end."

"So, that's when you came to the decision that you would become The Successor?" I asked. I had a handle on her plan so far, I just wasn't sure how the controller factored into it.

"And in order to become The Successor... What exactly did you do?" Haiji asked.

"Big Sis used to say all the time that she wanted to paint the world with despair... If someone could do that... Don't you think they would make the best Successor ever?"

"...What do you mean?" Komaru asked.

"...War."

"Huh?"

"Causing war. If a war breaks out, the world topples back into despair, right?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked. "You're planning on starting another war?"

"You're bluffing." Haiji accused. "You're trying to trick us again, aren't you? You've got some ulterior motive."

"If you think so... Why don't you just break that controller Miss Komaru has. Break the controller... and start a war." She dared him.

"W-Wait... why would a war break out if this controller is destroyed...?" Komaru asked.

Haiji grabbed Monaca's hair once more. "I told you, she's bluffing. She's just using reverse psychology."

"Ow! Heyyy, don't call Monaca a liar! You told me to talk..."

"I told you to tell the truth, not spew more of you lies!" He let go an pushed her away. "Enough of this. No more talk, destroy that controller right now!"

"Huh?" Komaru hesitated.

"Hey, hey what are you doing? Don't tell me you seriously trust what this kids said..."

"W-Wait, no! I can't break it yet!"

"So you're taking this little brat's word over mine?"

"It's not like that..."

"Haiji, this isn't a matter of trust." I cut in. "This is a matter of life and death-hundreds of lives and deaths. Matters like these need to be handled delicately, not with iron gloves."

"P-Please, wait!" Kotoko shouted. "I remember!"

"Remember... what?"

"A while ago, Monaca and Kurokuma were having a secret talk... I was listening in..."

"What are you talking about?" Haiji asked. "Get to the point."

"At the time, I thought they were kidding, but... Maybe they weren't... If that's the case... this is very bad." She paled considerably. "The Monokuma heads the kids are wearing... They're linked to the Monokumas' power source. If that power source is cut off... the helmets explode."

Dread fell over the entire room. I felt my blood run cold. Komaru gripped the controller like a nuclear launch switch. "Explode!?"

"If you destroy the controller, the Monokumas stop..." Kotoko explained. "But all the Monokuma Heads will blow up! And then, headless children everywhere!"

Haiji, however, was not buying it. "Oh, come on, an exploding helmet? You expect us to believe that made-up bullshit?"

"B-But I'm serious! I heard them say it! You know Monaca would totally pull something like that... She betrayed the Warriors of Hope... She could do it without even feeling guilty about it."

"S-So mean, Kotoko! Making me out to be the bad guy... Monaca doesn't _want _the controller to be destroyed!"

"Bitch..." Kotoko spat.

Haiji still had a dumb smirk on his face. "A rift in the group now, huh? Well if you're both lying, you need to get your stories straight."

"No, I'm serious! I heard it!" She insisted.

"I believe her." I said, surprising even myself.

"What...?"

"She might be one of the best damn actors I've ever seen, but I know when I'm being lied to. I'm an amazing liar myself, after all. And she's not lying to us. Even if she was, though, I wouldn't allow the controller to be broken unless I was absolutely, 100% sure that it was safe. As long as there's even a 0.1% chance that breaking it can end even a single life, I'm not taking that risk."

"That's enough." Haiji snapped. He turned to Komaru. "Destroy that thing already."

"N-No! Never, ever destroy that controller!" Kotoko insisted.

"Huh...? Huh...?" Komaru glanced between the two of them, clearly becoming overwhelmed by all of the input. After a moment, she backed away from Haiji, gripping the controller to her chest.

"Hey... What are you doing?" He asked. "Why aren't you destroying it!?"

"Because... the children might die if I do..."

"They're _bluffing!_ I've been trying to tell you!"

"But even if there's a small chance they're not... I can't do it. The kids wearing those helmets... They're just being brainwashed, none of this is their fault... Not everyone involved was doing this of their own will!"

Haiji rolled his eyes so hard, I thought they'd roll right out of his head. "Brainwashing? Are you serious? Who the hell cares about that...?"

"...Huh?" Komaru and I exchanged glances. I was ready to dive into an explanation to get Haiji to understand that brainwashing isn't science fiction, but his reaction was not what I expected.

"After all this, that excuse is _not _gonna fly. Even _if _they all die, they had it coming! You've seen what they did to us! They deserve it!"

"You can't be serious..." I said. "You're not thinking clearly. You're blinded by vengeance."

"Maybe I am! But how could I not be!? After what they did to us... Not even the harshest revenge is enough to make me forget what I've been through! Listen! Listen, outside! The screams of the adults, the ones who lost everything!" We all paused and listened to the chanting of "destroy," the call for blood. "Our loved ones were butchered by those little brats... They took everything from us... But you were the one who told us to stand and fight, right? It's because of your speech that we're even here right now! If you really are our ally, then finish this! You are... You're our hope. Please... Don't betray us... Destroy the controller, please... Please, just... End this for us... We just want it to be over..."

"It won't be over." I told him. "I understand your plan now, Monaca. I know what you mean by "war." You want to start a war between Towa City and the Future Foundation."

"...What?" Haiji asked.

"Let me explain. If Future Foundation found out a bunch of kids had their heads blown off, they'd immediately assume the surviving adults were responsible. If that didn't start a war, they'd probably launch an investigation, which would then turn up the fact that Towa Group manufactured the Monokumas. Given how... quick to judge the higher-ups tend to be, they'd probably assume all of the adults were Remnants of Despair. Once that assumptions in their minds, there's nothing I, nor anyone else, could say that would dissuade them. They'd crush this town. That's your plan, isn't it, Monaca?"

"...Nope, that's not quite it! Cuz it won't just end with a war between Towa and Future Foundation. Future Foundation isn't the only one who'd see the adults as Remnants of Despair. The true Remnants of Despair that are spread all over the world... They'd learn about the war in Towa City, and they'd come charging in. Towa City would become the heart of a resurgence of the despair that Big Sis Junko left us. Worthy of the name of Junko Enoshima, wouldn't you agree?"

"Are you serious with this?" Komaru snapped.

"She can't be... She's bluffing anyway." Haiji brushed it off. He turned to me. "Even if it were true, all you'd have to do is explain the situation to Future Foundation, right? And you're with them, right, Al? I mean, you could straighten this all out easily."

"Hm, I dunnooo..." Monaca muttered. "Because this city shares a past with the incident, they won't take any chances. The moment they see the headless bodies of children in the streets... It's over. They wouldn't even care about their hostage or Mister Albert's testimony, don't you think?"

"Th-That's... certainly true." I agreed. "Despite taking me in as a source of knowledge and advice, I actually don't have much sway in their court. And, god forbid, if Munakata saw those bodies..."

"Child victims have quite an impact on people." Monaca continued. "It's just like I said from the beginning. Pitiful children are the most powerful."

"So, that's the whole plan, then?" I asked. "Have the adults take revenge on the kids to create child victims... You chose to leave non-parents alive because they'd be less likely to have any qualms about killing kids."

"I mean, adults with no children wouldn't have a single bit of mercy, would they?"

"W-Wait, then... We were... We were sorted and kept alive...?" Haiji asked.

"And that's why you had me lead Komaru through the city this whole time." I said. "So that she would eventually inspire the adults to fight back and take that revenge."

Monaca started laughing. And not her normal, childish laughter. It sounded eerily similar to Monokuma's laugh. "Monaca may have helped things along... But Miss Komaru's transformation was her own doing. That delicate little girl maturing, growing to overcome the despair as hope itself. You even grew to care about this town, wanting to save it, becoming the hope for the adults... But even so... You know hope isn't always a good thing. At times, hope can be a terrible burden... It can be a drive to hurt others. Just like now."

"Th-That's..."

"What did you think would happen if you gave people who watched their loved ones die hope? Didja think they'd all be positive, working together, nice and peacefully? Of cooourse not! They will turn into Demons. Demons who live for revenge. You see? Just _listen _to them..."

We listened for the crowd outside once more, but this time, they weren't chanting "destroy." They were shouting "kill."

"K-Kill!? But why...? Why is this happening!?" Komaru shrieked.

"It's because they've been waiting for you to destroy that controller for sooo long."

"...What?"

"Those people out there don't care whether or not the heads of the children are gonna explode... Rather... They sound pretty excited about it, don't you think? That's the sound of people who have completely transformed into Demons. And this is aaall your fault, Big Sis."

"M-Me...?"

"It's because you stirred up the adults. It's your hope that turned them into Demons, y'know? So that makes it all, aaall, aaaaaall your fault, Miss Komaru Naegi!"

"Man, I hate you masterminds and your roundabout logic." I said. "Komaru wouldn't have even needed to inspire them if you didn't attack in the first place. So by that logic, this is actually your fault."

"W-Wait, listen to what she's saying!" Haiji realized. "If what she said was true, then she should have wanted to destroy the controller right away! She could have just destroyed the damn thing herself! Then she would have her war!"

"Uh, yeah, we know that already. My question is, why didn't she?"

Monaca was shaking her head at Haiji. "No, that wouldn't do! That would not be worthy of The Successor, now would it?" With that, she quickly rose and jumped up onto her feet.

Kotoko took a step back. "Sh-She can stand!?"

"She stood!" Haiji exclaimed. "Monaca... stood up!?"

"We're, uh, already past that." I said, pointing to my watch. "We kinda got bigger fish to fry right now. Like World War III. Or, uh, IV, I guess..."

"So anyways, what are you gonna do?" Monaca approached Komaru. "Hm? How are you gonna end this? Are you gonna kill the children and play the savior? Or... are you gonna spare the children's lives and let them keep slaughtering adults? Who lives, who dies? That is your choice. There's no way you can save both. One side has to die... And you're going to kill them. Now it's about time you made your final choice. The final choice you can make as Komaru Naegi. Choose wisely."

Komaru sobbed as she stared down at the controller. She slowly stared backing away from Monaca. "N-No, no it's impossible... I... I can't break it..."

"No, you're gonna break it all right. Monaca knows."

"...Huh?"

"You're gonna destroy the controller, and then the children's heads are gonna explode. And that's when the war begins... And The Successor, a new splendid symbol of despair, will be born!"

"You don't know that..." I said. "You _can't _know that..."

"And like, there's no way I'd ever accept _you _as a successor in the first place!" Kotoko shouted. "There's no way you can be a vessel of Big Sis Junko!"

Monaca slowly turned to her former friend. "Kotoko... When did I ever say that Monaca wanted to be The Successor?"

"...Huh?"

"Monaca's not the one who's going to be The Successor." Quite simply, she turned and pointed at the person in question. "It's gonna be Miss Komaru Naegi."

"...Huh?"

""Paint the world in despair"... That's what Big Sis Junko always used to say, y'know? And what could be more despair-inducing than having Makoto Naegi's sister be The Successor? Sooo, the one who's gonna murder all these kids has to be Miss Komaru herself."

"Wh-What are you saying?" Komaru asked.

"Oh, don't worry, it's not hard. All you hafta do is destroy the controller. I've already prepared cameras so that the moment is recorded and sent to Future Foundation. With Monaca's video message as a bonus set! Monaca already declared that Miss Komaru Naegi will succeed the legacy of Big Sis Junko."

"Wh-What do you mean? Why do I...?"

"Like I said, don't listen to her!" Haiji demanded. "She's just trying to keep you from destroying it!"

"Puuuhuhuhu... Big Brother, you've just been saying that over and over... Adults don't like change."

"You shitty little brat! Enough! Give me the controller! I'll destroy it myself!"

"But if we do that, the children will die!" Komaru told him. At the same time, I started moving to get in between her and Haiji.

"What else are we supposed to do!? We have to end this massacre! What about all the adults who died? Are we just going to forget about them!?"

"Don't you dare." I warned. "Don't... drag us into your revenge. That's not what we're here for!"

"That's right!" Kotoko agreed. "There's no reason to kill them! You don't have to be a part of this one bit!"

"No need, no reason... No relation." Monaca muttered. "That's the difference between Big Brother and Miss Komaru. This isn't personal for her. But I knew that might be a problem. So Monaca made sure to make a special request. To get Miss Komaru to want revenge... I needed help from her parents."

"...Huh? Wh-What do you mean, "revenge"...?" Komaru asked.

"Are you ready for this? Take a potty break? Get a list of insults ready for Monaca? Have you mentally prepared yourself to surrender to despair, unable to suppress the urge to kill? Then I'll show you!" She clapped twice, and the door behind us opened one more time, revealing a pair of kids carrying a large television between them. It was playing a video.

In the video, the camera moved toward a door that I recognized as the one at the back of the torture chamber. It slid open, revealing a massive room with piles upon piles of corpses. Hanging in the center of the room were two bodies, a man and a woman. I couldn't quite make out their faces in the darkness, but the camera slowly zoomed in on one specific area, near the hem of the woman's dress. There was a bloodstain, a written message. It was reversed, as if written on another surface before being pressed against the dress, but it only took me a second to translate it.

_Komaru Makoto_

"No..." I turned to Komaru. She had made the same realization as me. She stood limply, the controller dangling in her hands, her expression that of a dead woman. The stress of these last couple days have finally caught up to her and hit her with the weight of a semi-truck. I couldn't blame her for finally losing it.

"After all this, you're still showing off, killing adults!?" Haiji snapped at his sister as the kids carried the television away. "How crazy are you!?"

At that moment, Komaru fell to her knees, staring beyond the tile floor. "Komaru..." I tried to comfort her, but she didn't register my hand on her shoulder, or the shakes I tried to give her to wake her up. She was dead to the world at this point.

"She probably wrote the message on the floor, with her dying breath." Monaca guessed. "But when she collapsed, the blood stuck. That's how those letters ended up on her skirt."

"Komaru...? Makoto...?" Komaru whispered the names as if they were foreign to her.

"Puhuhuhu... Didja notice? She wrote the names of her children before she died. You have such loving parents, I'm jealous. Family love... It sounds so nice. Something I've never felt my whole life."

Hot tears streamed down Komaru's face as she snapped back to reality. "...Lies... It's just a lie..."

"Y-You... _**bitch!**_" I shouted at Monaca, slamming my fist against the floor. I don't know why. I didn't really have a reason. I'd never met either of those people in my life. But I guess... After assuring Makoto and Komaru so many times that their family was okay, that we'd find them... I guess I started to believe it myself... "Why... It can't be..."

"Oh, that's not a very convincing argument at all..." Monaca teased. "You can't refute me like that." She turned her attention to Komaru. "You hate me, don't you? You hate me, right? I played with the bodies of your family like toys, and now you want to kill me, right!?"

Komaru finally raised her head, fixing her gaze on Monaca. Underneath the tears and grief, there was only one other emotion. Pure hatred.

"N-No, wait! _That's _a lie." Kotoko tried to argue.

"Well... I'm not so sure about that..." Haiji said, trying to hide the smirk on his face with his anger. "You said your parents _are _missing... right?"

"Haiji-!" I started.

"Showing it to you right now like this? That means it's gotta be true, without a doubt. Now are you just gonna forget the fact that this bitch murdered your own parents!? Shame on you!"

"That's not fair!" Kotoko yelled back. "You said she was bluffing a minute ago!"

"You can't think of them as children, they're not anymore! They're the ones who are Demons! Destroy that controller and finish it! Kill them all! Not just for your sake, or your parents' sake, but for everyone who was murdered!"

"Haiji, shut the fuck up before_ I kill you!_" I roared. I was a moment away from striking him with my baton when I heard Komaru's voice.

It was quiet as can be, but it cut through the room, silencing everyone. "I-It's... fine..."

"K-Komaru...?"

"If you want me to destroy it that much, I'll do it!"

"Komaru, calm down and- and think about this! If you-"

"Shut up! Who... cares anymore...? No matter what happens to adults... No matter what happens to children... No matter what happens to this town... No matter what happens to the world... I don't give a damn anymore! I don't give a damn!" She rose to her feet and lifted the controller above her head.

"Komaru!"

"Al... I'm sorry, I... It's impossible... I... I can't become like Makoto..."

"I-I..." I couldn't bring myself to respond to that.

"...This was all determined from the very start." Monaca said, satisfied. "The hope you felt was just for the sake of making you feel the worst kind of despair. I knew from the beginning that you would fall into despair."

I would like to say that, in that moment, my mind was running a million miles a minute. But that wasn't true. The stress of the last few days had caught up to Komaru, and the same was true for me. My last sleep was an uneasy one on a cold stone floor, which was about 13 hours ago, and before that, I had been awake for a solid 18 hours. Essentially, I haven't had a good rest in 31 hours. My brain was desperately pumping what little adrenaline it could manage, but my exhaustion was too powerful. I was overwhelmed. Between Haiji's and Monaca's despair-filled voids in place of their eyes, their torturous ramblings and insistences of mass murder, Kotoko's shrill pleadings, the sound of the crowd outside calling for blood, the pounding of my own heart in my ears, and the broken mutterings of my friend... I was so very, very tired...

But I had one thought that drove me, in that moment of panic. I _couldn't _let that controller be broken. I don't care what my mission in this city was anymore. I don't care if taking that controller turned Komaru against me. I don't care if the whole goddamn world turned against me. I would stand by my beliefs. I would not condone the murder of a thousand victimized children. I didn't care what consequences I had to face for that.

With that thought driving me, I surged forward, slamming my shoulder into Komaru. Ouch, my injury, but I was too caught up in the moment to care. With the size difference between Komaru and I, she folded like a lawn chair. The controller clattered to the floor, and I dove for it. When it was in my grasp, I clutched it tightly to my chest, to shield it from the rest of the world.

"What are you doing?" Monaca asked. "Outsiders have to business interrupting us."

"I swore, long ago... I won't remain an outsider. Especially not when my friends are involved." I declared.

"Stop shouting nonsense!" Haiji demanded. "Just hand that over!"

"I won't... I won't let an atrocity happen. And I won't let Komaru become a monster."

"What are you talking about!? She was going to _destroy it_!"

"That's not her... She's suffering from trauma. She's lost her ability to reason. I know Komaru would never want to do something like this..."

"H-How the hell could you possibly know that!?"

"Because... I'm a psychologist..." I chuckled weakly.

"You know, I knew you were the type to interfere, but not to this level." Monaca mused. "It appears the information Mr. Servant provided was false. So, how about this?" She reached under her skirt and produced a key. It had an interesting keychain in the form of a small Monokuma head.

"Th-That's..."

"That's right! It's the key to the room that Mr. Byakuya Togami is locked inside. Say, you wanna trade this key for that controller? If you do, you can save Mr. Byakuya Togami..."

"You... expect me to pick favourites among my friends?"

She giggled. "Now it's your turn to make a choice."

I hesitated for a moment before deciding. "Alright... give me the key."

A twisted grin formed on her face. "I knew you'd do it! Now, why don't you just hand me that controller?"

"You misunderstand. I'm gonna save Komaru, too. So I'm taking the key, and the controller."

"What are you saying? You gotta make a choice, that's the rules."

"That is my choice. It's like you said, I'm an outsider, so why do I have to play by the rules? Choices are never just black and white. We can choose whatever ending we want. And I'm gonna save Komaru, and Byakuya, and everyone else. That's my choice. I couldn't... I couldn't save everyone at Hope's Peak... but I'll make it up to them here... and... You won't stop me!"

"What the heck? That's just unreasonable."

"Enough already, just hand me that controller!" Haiji shouted, barreling toward me. He kicked me to the ground. "I'll crush it!"

"You'll have to crush me, first."

He grabbed the collar of my suit and pulled me close. I could feel spittle flying in my face as he continued. "Want me to hurt you even more?"

"Heh... Pain... means nothing to me. Not when the stakes are this high. I've chosen, time and again, to give my life for my friends, and I'll gladly do it here."

"Shut up! In order to keep the kids under control, and end this nightmare, this is the only way!" He reeled back to throw a punch at me.

"No!" I was saved at the last second when Kotoko ran over and tackled Haiji. "You're the ones who are out of control!"

"Let go!" With his broken arm, he had a hard time getting her off of him.

"I won't... let go!" They continued to struggle for a moment as I backed away.

"Hey... What are you guys doing?" Monaca asked playfully. Suddenly, the whole room shook.

"Oh, what now?" I asked.

"What... huh?" Monaca asked. Clearly, this wasn't part of her plan, either. We all looked toward the window, where Big Bang Monokuma was peeking inside. Our animosity toward one another was temporarily halted as we were all equally confused.

"Why is it... Why is it moving?" Haiji asked.

"Monaca has no idea. The only ones who can control Big Bang Monokuma are you and Papa. You are the ones who programmed it that way." Suddenly, the mech reeled back and threw a punch.

"No!" Was all Haiji had time to shout before glass and rubble flew everywhere.

I took the distraction happily. I stuffed the controller in my coat pocket and dashed for Komaru, who was staring at the ground lifelessly. "Upsie daisy!" I shouted rather angrily as I scooped her up in my arms and ran past Monaca for the door.

Looking over my shoulder, the last thing I had a chance to see was Monaca staring up at the machine as the rubble from its attack fell on her.

The mastermind was defeated.

But the nightmare was far from over...

* * *

**Fun fact, I actually briefly considered having an alternate ending where, because of Albert, the controller ends up getting destroyed before they learn the truth. If you ever saw the bad ending you get by choosing to break it, that's basically how it would go, and Albert would have to deal with the aftermath of his mistake, and the ensuing war that would follow. But, well... Albert might be a screw up, but I don't think that ending would really fit. He's too suspicious, especially when things start to go his way. I don't think he'd jump at the chance to end the whole thing when he feels like it's too easy. Also, I don't really like writing downer endings... but I might in the future.**

**I think, because this chapter was so long, the next one might be a little shorter than average. I'll probably label that one the finale, and then have the epilogue take place after that. I don't know if it would be quicker to write, though, considering it would be heavy on the action, but that's how I'm doing it. I'm glad we're nearing the end of this story. I'm currently going through ideas in my head for DR2 and DR3. Can't wait for those.**

**Anyway, in the next chapter, the game will not end, but our heroes will continue to fight.**


	19. Finale

**Yeah, this one was shorter than I was expecting. Luckily, that also means I can post it earlier than expected.**

**Honestly, this wasn't as big a project as the first story was. I mostly wrote this one as a way of building up to DR2, revealing some things important to the plot in the future, like Chiaki. I guess, if you want to put it another way, you could say I wrote this story because I felt I had to, rather than because I wanted to. That said, I had a lot of fun writing the interactions between Albert and Komaru, or hell, the interactions Albert had with anyone. Towa City is full of a lot of interesting characters, even if some of them are assholes.**

**Either way, this is it, the final battle. I will stress, I'm not experienced with writing extended battle sequences, especially when I'm translating something from a game to a written story. That said, I think I did a pretty good job, and hey, we're all just here for a good time. At least, I am. I don't want to assume you guys are having a good time, but then I don't know why you would have read this far if you weren't. Either way, put on your favourite Danganronpa soundtrack, because it's time for a final battle between hope... and despair!**

**As always, I hope you enjoy. Stay tuned for the Epilogue.**

* * *

**Finale**

**Friends to the End**

I ran out onto a large balcony, or deck, or something, with Komaru still in my arms. It didn't even occur to me that we were cornered, I was just trying to do anything I could to get away from that room.

As the acrid wind billowed the end of my lab coat, I set Komaru down. She just stood there, not saying anything, still with her dead expression.

All of my psychological skills failed me. In desperation, my mind chose to resort to violence, and I slapped her across the face with all my might.

"...Hm?" She gently raised a hand to her cheek as she started to stare at me, coming back to reality.

"Jeez... That hurts..." I muttered, rubbing my palm.

"Wh-What? _You _hit _me_." She asked with her classic stupefied expression. I had missed that.

"My hand hurts..." I explained. "But... It's not the only thing that hurts..." I sighed, trying to breath out my stress. I leaned forward. "Okay, now hit me back."

"...Huh? Why?"

"Isn't that obvious? It makes us even. I... I guess I've always had some weird ideas of friendship, but... The way I see it, I gotta pay for slapping you, and all the times I've... lied to you... So, c'mon, just hit me! So we're even...!"

"F-Fine..." She reeled back and swung her hand at me, nearly knocking my glasses off my face.

"Jeez, okay, a little harsh..."

She stared down at her hand, tears stinging her eyes. "...You're right... You're right. My hand hurts... but that's not the only thing that hurts..." She started to let the tears flow again.

"Yeah..." I sighed again. Somewhat awkwardly, I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around her. "I guess... We're the same. We're both out of our depth, just trying to make sense of all the chaos. Like an abstract art piece. But... If one of us can't do something on our own... All the other has to do is help them. Helping each other... Physically, emotionally... Either way, that's the advantage of working together."

"...Yeah." She agreed, pulling her face away from now-soaked spot on my chest.

I let go of her and stepped back. "Besides, I mean... we don't know if those were actually your parents, right? I mean... thinking about things with no answer just wastes brainpower. We gotta focus on the problems . So, what do you want to do right now? Have you made your choice, for real?"

A determined expression appeared on her face. "...Yeah. I have. I want to save both. I'm not going to play her sick little game. I'm going to save the adults and the children!"

"There's the Komaru I remember. If you had answered differently, I might've had to smack you again..."

Suddenly, the wind changed course suddenly as Big Bang Monokuma raised his head from under the balcony, facing us. The red eye moved around in its socket, seemingly scanning us. As Komaru brushed the final tears from her eye, she turned to face the mech defiantly. I did the same.

"Looks like it's targeting us. Or the controller, more likely... What're you thinking?"

"...Fight." She decided. "I'll fight. I've decided. I'll fight to protect everyone!... Al... Will you help me?"

"Do you even need to ask? That's what friends do. Let's go." I pulled my weapon out and switched it on. Komaru did the same.

The Monokuma's eye changed from red to blue, and he began slamming his staff down on different parts of the balcony. The total size of the staff's end was a little larger than a bus, so it would be pretty hard to survive getting hit by it. Luckily, the robot wasn't too fast, not fast enough that we couldn't see where it was aiming, at least. Even with my shoulder still stinging, after everything I encountered in this city, dodging a giant staff was child's play.

Komaru, in between leaps and dashes, was doing her best to shoot at its eye. I wasn't sure if it was having any effect at all, but considering the machine was doing its best to cover its eye, I decided that it was a safe bet.

The eye turned yellow, and shot a laser at the balcony beneath our feet. Electricity traveled through the floor. Komaru got off a couple shots, but the shock hit both of us.

It then turned red, and jumped back down the street, before charging at the building. Komaru switched to Burn bullets, and fired a stream of them at the mech's eye. It stumbled, losing just enough momentum that the collision with the balcony didn't cause any damage. It leaned against it for support for a moment, and that's when I jumped into position.

I swung as hard as I could with one arm. The eye was protected by a thick sheet of reinforced glass, but I hammered away as hard as I could. Part of the glass cracked slightly, and I was about to take advantage of it before Big Bang stood up and pushed me back onto the balcony.

The eye turned yellow once again, and the laser shot down. I watched it. I noticed it was tracing a specific pattern in the ground.

"There!" I called out, dashing at an area near the center of the arena. Komaru followed me. Somehow, defying the laws of physics, the laser electrified most of the balcony, except the one part we were standing in. Komaru fired at Big Bang's eye.

Then, the eye turned bright blue, and it twirled its staff, firing a giant bomb at us. It homed in on us, similar to some of the bombs Jataro had. Without missing a beat, Komaru switched to Knockback bullets, and redirected the bomb at our enemy. It fell over once again, using the balcony for support.

I charged again, striking at the crack in the glass, causing it to splinter through, more and more. Just as I was about to break through, I was pushed back onto the platform. Okay, one more round, that's all I need...

The lights in Big Bang's eye shut down, and it raised its staff threateningly, twirling it round and round. Its gaze scanned across the whole arena, so I couldn't anticipate where it was going to strike.

"Move!" I decided. Komaru watched me, but after seeing what I planned, followed my lead. I kept my eye on the staff, while running back and forth along the arena. As it swung down, I could see it trying to lead its attack, so I slowed down. However, I wasn't as coordinated as I thought.

While I was lucky enough not to get turned into hamburger, I was in between the silver panels and the giant blue gem inside. I turned around to attempted to exit, but Big Bang swung the staff back and forth like a rattle, and I slammed back and forth into the panels before being launched, sent tumbling down over the side of the balcony.

Komaru caught my hand by inches. Using the strength we've practiced to get through the more precarious parts of this city, I was yanked back onto sturdy ground. We looked down the street.

Big Bang was standing far away, like it did before charging us, but its eye was bright blue this time. It launched more of those heat-seeking bombs before charging at us from right behind them. Komaru shot more Knockbacks at the giant bombs, and fired more Burns at its eye.

I surged forward, leaping into the air to smash the glass covering once and for all. But I caught sight of something behind the glass. It caused me to hesitate a moment. I couldn't quite make it out, but I could've swore...

In my distracted state, Big Bang batted me away. I flew a few meters, landing hard, and lying weakly on the ground. I struggled to stand, and the massive mech reached its paw down to grab me.

"Shit!" I raised my baton on instinct, but I doubted it would do much. Suddenly, Komaru came to my rescue, firing at the monster's hand to save me. To my surprise, the creature actually responded with blowback, as if it had been damaged. Then I realized, the bullet's path would have went straight through my baton. I stared down at my device in wonder. "Well, I'll be..."

Of course, it kind of made sense. As its name suggested, the high-frequency baton worked by sending high-frequency reverberations through my weapon, increasing its striking power at an atomic level. The Megaphone Hacking Gun worked by sending out programming code in the form of radio waves. So, what happens if you increase the frequency of radio waves? Well, not much, I don't think. But I'm not sure what kind of tech went into creating the hacking gun. All I knew was, our weapons could be combined, and they seemed to have an effect when they did...

"I had to use a regular Break." Komaru told me as we ran. "I'm all out of other bullets."

"I don't think that's a problem anymore." I said. "Follow my lead. I got a plan..."

As Big Bang Monokuma started to recover from the strike, Komaru and I stood in the center of the balcony, wide open.

I laid my weapons along the funnel of the megaphone, still on the highest setting.

"Symbolism, bitch. By working together, we can accomplish things we never could alone. As long as there's someone who's got your back, there's no reason to despair at all. That's where my hope comes from! From my friends, so I won't despair as long as I have my friends beside me. Right, Komaru?"

She nodded, raising the Hacking Gun to Big Bang's face. "Yeah, me too!"

She pulled the trigger. Now, I can't see radio waves, but I could hear a rather high-pitched hum, and in that moment, the air became very hot, and smelled of ozone.

"_**Hope lives on!**_" We shouted in unison as Big Bang Monokuma was hit with our combined attack.

The machine shook violently, jerking every which way. Suddenly, a large blast of steam erupted from its neck joint, before its head rocketed into the air. I leaned way back to watch, but once it got past the clouds of pollution, I couldn't quite make out its path. A few seconds later, however, it crashed through the clouds once again. Komaru and I jumped back as the head landed on its own neck again, upside down.

There was the sound of something ricocheting around inside. A few moments later, the severed head of Shirokuma smashed through the red eye as the mech fell back onto the street below.

"Wait, what...?" I watched Shirokuma bounce around the balcony for a moment, confused at his sudden appearance, before he bounced over the edge and down to the street to join the Big Bang. "He was... what?"

We stood there for another minute, listening to the rage-filled shouting of the adults who lost their trump card.

Komaru shook her head, and turned to me. "C'mon, let's head inside."

I sheathed my weapon, and started lightly massaging my shoulder. "Yeah. Let's."

* * *

Inside, the room was a total disaster. Luckily, no one important was hurt.

Haiji was staring out to the balcony as we entered. His eyes were wide, and he was very pale. "Y-You're kidding me... No... Big Bang Monokuma... Is our hope... Th-That's..."

We made our way around the rubble until we reached the center of the room. Monaca was on the ground, her bottom half buried under a bunch of rocks that were, _unfortunately_, much too heavy for me to move.

"Well, now it's over, I guess." I told her as I approached.

She stared up at me with rage in her eyes. "I-It's not over yet... Nothing's finished yet... This is just... It's just delaying the inevitable! The children are still brainwashed, the adults still want revenge... In fact, they're even more angry now, having their hope killed like that. So nothing's changed! This isn't a happy ending or a sad one! This isn't hope _or _despair! Nothing... has changed."

Komaru stepped forward, but didn't say anything.

"So are you gonna kiiill Monaca?" The little girl asked. "Take a little revenge for yourself...? It's just fine, if Monaca is killed by Makoto Naegi's sister... That should be enough despair."

Komaru just knelt down in front of the girl, her face inches from her's. "Give me... the key to Byakuya's room."

"...Huh?"

"Hand it over."

Monaca was practically grinding her teeth to dust as she reached down her dress and produced the key. "Hm... At this point, I suppose I have to compromise. With no more hostage, Future Foundation will come, and the Remnants of Despair will follow. Maybe it's not going exactly to plan... But maybe a small-scale war will start... I'll compromise. Monaca has to be an adult sometimes, after all. But this really has nothing to do with you two, does it? This town, this planet, they don't matter to you two. You just want your happy ending... You're not even letting me have a small taste of despair!"

"You want a taste of despair? I'll give you something to chew on." I stepped over and planted my foot on one of the rocks above her. Not too hard, but enough to make her squeal. "You're nowhere near as powerful as Junko, nor nearly as clever. Haiji was kinda right. You are just a brat who never learned her place. Though it's not like he helped at all. Your whole family is rotten to the core, and you're just another bad seed. You might think you're different, because Junko gave you some dumb purpose. But the truth is, there's nothing special about you. You're just another psychopath that I can't fix. For that, I'm sorry. But, hey, if in the future you actually want to be someone, come find me. I've got a friend who could probably help you out." I turned and walked off. "Let's go, Komaru."

When she didn't follow, I turned back. She was still staring down at Monaca.

The green-haired girl stared back. "Monaca miscalculated... I overestimated you. Though I guess Monaca was not the only one... You thought too highly of yourself as well. I tried to imitate Big Sis Junko, you tried to imitate your brother... But in the end we both failed. Neither of us could live up to expectations."

"...There's no way I could imitate him. And no way I'd want to. I am not my brother. Makoto is Makoto... and I am me." With that, Komaru turned and started walking toward me. I watched as she passed by, somewhat stunned. Though I also felt, well... I guess pride. "Are you coming, Al?" She asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, let's go." With a smile, the two of us marched out of the room.

"Don't mess with me..." Monaca growled behind us. "And ending without hope or despair... Monaca will definitely..."

She didn't have time to finish her threat. Komaru and I left her there, at the mercy of Kotoko and Haiji. That might not have been the right thing to do, but I didn't quite care. I still had a city to save.

* * *

Soon after exiting The Excalibur, it had taken off behind us. Now, as we ran through the halls of Towa Hills, there were powerful vibrations and sounds of explosions outside. I wasn't sure how the people we left on the ship were doing, but at the moment, I had bigger fish to fry.

One explosion was so powerful, it shook the whole building, causing Komaru to stumble into a wall. "W-Wasn't that...?"

"No point thinking about it right now." I said. "We gotta focus on finding Byakuya."

She nodded, putting on game face before pushing herself off the wall and following me.

"What's up?" I asked. She seemed kinda distracted.

"I... I know I can save both the adults and the children..." She explained.

"Yeah, I know, all Monaca did was make it more complicated. As long as we keep at it, though, everything will be fine eventually. But we can think about that once we get you out of harm's way."

"...Al... I..." She stepped up to me, looking me in the eye. "I'm staying in this town."

I stared at her. I tried to be surprised at her response, but I couldn't really muster up the energy. So all I asked was, "...Why? This wasn't your fault. You just got caught up in the middle of something bigger than yourself. No one would fault you for taking a ticket out of here."

"No, that's not it..." She assured me. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is. This is my decision."

"But why? You were always going on about wanting to get out of here, and live a nice, peaceful life."

"You're right."

"This... You haven't become like, a despair junkie or something, have you?"

"No, o-of course not. I don't wanna get slapped again."

"Then why...?"

"Even I'm not... totally sure..." She admitted. "But earlier, when I said how I want to save both... All the scary things and hesitation I've felt were gone. Even though the odds were against us, for some reason... I felt courage. I think it's because I was confident that that was what I needed to do. But... what would happen if I leave this town with you and Byakuya? What would happen if Future Foundation came here to suppress the riot and uncover the secret? And then, what would happen if the Remnants of Despair were to find this place...? It would turn into a war... Just like Monaca said."

"So... you're idea is that you can replace Byakuya as the hostage?"

"...Until now, I've kept relying on you, and I never really got to make decisions on my own. But I was like that even before I met you. I used to give up all the time... But the decision to save everyone was one I made on my own. Of course, I'm scared, and I'm worried... But despite that, I've made up my mind. I won't give up until the very end. I'll make sure I save both."

I smiled, and flicked her ahoge. "Heh, you really are becoming a protagonist. You can be just like your brother sometimes."

"No... I think I got it from you. You were with me all this time. If I have changed... It's your influence, Al."

I laughed. "I, uh... I guess that makes sense, when you put it like that..."

"For now, I'm going to be just fine. This is much better than an imprisoned life, regardless... So don't worry about me. Go back to your friends, with Byakuya... You two are the only ones who can persuade Future Foundation not to interfere here."

I stared for a moment. "You seem to be making a hasty assumption. I don't plan to leave this town until my job's done. I'm an agent of Future Foundation, after all. How could I face my organization knowing I left a civilian to do all my work for me? Besides, if you're staying, well... I think I should stay with my friend that needs the most help, don't you think?"

"Al..."

"Hey, no arguing. You made your decision, I made mine."

"But you said you wanted to get back to your friends, and make them all happy, and all that..."

I scoffed. "I can do that long-distance, thank you very much. Considering most of them can survive a killing game without my input, I think they'll be fine without me for a little while."

"...Yes, that's correct." A voice called out from one of the nearby rooms. It was a voice I hadn't heard in a long time. Under normal circumstances, the voice would get on my nerves, but right now...

I ran toward the door it came from. Behind the slim window, I could see the face of my old pal.

"Byakuya!"

* * *

**That's it. Albert's going to be staying in Towa (at least until DR2) with Komaru, and nothing's changed, as Monaca put it.**

**I know back in Another Hope I wrote multiple big paragraphs down here, discussing the concepts and themes that went into designing Albert and Toshihide. I'd like to do that for this, but uh, there's not really much that relates to this story. I mean, I guess I could talk about the parallels between Albert and Toko that I was trying to explore, but... well, all you really gotta do is go back to some of the conversations Albert had with Komaru had in the last few chapters. Or really, any of the dialogue they've shared. Barring a few really odd conversations, they mostly lead through the same major points and to the same conclusion. I think that's plenty evidence on its own.**

**Either way, we still have one last stop on this journey. Stay tuned for the Epilogue.**


	20. Epilogue

**This took a little longer than expected. Not only was the chapter slightly longer than I thought it would be, but I also had some relatives visiting this week, so I had less time to write than anticipated.**

**Regardless, this is it. The epilogue of Danganronpa Another Episode: Another Hope. Albert and Komaru have struggled through trials both physical and emotional, and will continue to in the future due to their shared decision to remain in the city, but for now it is time for them to reap their rewards.**

**I'm so glad I can finally check off this story as complete. I had fun writing it, but I'm bursting with anticipation for when I get around to DR2. ****I don't really have anything more to say that I can't say at the bottom of the page, so I'll see you when you get there.**

**As always, now and forever, I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

**Epilogue**

**The Changing World We Made**

Tears were shed.

We all stood just outside the shrine that Nagisa showed us as the way out of the town. However, before the group moved on, I told them that I had something to say.

I had spent a long while explaining to the captives the story that they missed in their prisons, the Killing School Life of Hope's Peak Academy. Byakuya and Komaru stood nearby, listening in, with Byakuya adding a comment every so often. It took a long time, since I wanted to have some tact and not just say "then they died, too."

When I told of the betrayal and death of Sayaka Maizono, Ayaka Haneyama's cool exterior fell away as she broke down crying. She offered no words, just buried her face in her hands, crying over her lost friend.

When I told of how Mondo Owada murdered in an attempt to protect a friend, Takemichi Yukimaru simply averted his gaze, staring sadly off into the distance. He muttered, "I always kinda knew his temper would get him someday..."

When I got to the murder of Kiyotaka Ishimaru, his father Takaaki cried. "Taka... W-Was he at least happy before he...?"

"It was instant." I explained. "He likely didn't feel a thing. The last I saw him before that, he... Well, he wasn't peaceful, but he wasn't afraid anymore." Takaaki accepted this.

When I told of Hifumi Yamada having his plan turned on him, his sister Fujiko had to walk off and cry away from everyone else.

When I told them of Yasuhiro Hagakure, and how he was manipulated into committing murder, his mother Hiroko seemed to have a heart attack. When she recovered from the shock, she was considerably angry, and hot tears streamed down her face. "Did... Did the son-of-a-bitch that did that to him... Did they-?"

"They're dead." I said. "Those responsible for the manipulations and murders of these people died. That's the one good thing that came out of this situation, I guess."

When I told of Sakura Ogami's noble sacrifice for the group, Kenshiro shed a few tears, and offered a prayer in respect for his fallen love.

The only ones who weren't grieving were offering their sympathy. I confirmed to them that their friends and relatives were alive. Fuhito Kirigiri was assured of his granddaughter's safety. Despite being a cat, I thought Grand Bois Cheri Ludenberg would appreciate knowing his owner is safe. Aloysius Pennyworth stood at attention beside his young master. Taichi Fujisaki and Yuta Asahina both already knew the truth, as well as Komaru. Chiaki stood next to me, already having a general idea of what happened, but paying attention to the specifics.

I found the number of captives odd. Ignoring the fact that Sayaka or Sakura were listed as having multiple captives, the number was still odd. I mean, I didn't expect Junko or Mukuro to have any captives since, you know, they planned the game, but what about Leon's captive? What was that Hit List we found? Kanon Nakajima. Well, guess we'll have plenty of time to find her, since we'll be spending the foreseeable future in this town.

"Why'd you bother to tell us this?" Takemichi asked me once I was finished.

I hesitated, but answered. "I owe it to you. You deserve the truth. These people who died... They were my friends. I didn't want to do them wrong by hiding their fates from you."

"Then why... Why didn't you say something sooner?" Hiroko asked. "You could've told me at any time!"

"It... never came up. There wasn't a good time for it." I explained. "But you're right, I should've told you. I deserve all your anger for that. I'm sorry."

Nobody responded. I suppose they all understood my actions, even if they didn't like this end result.

After a few more minutes of mourning, Byakuya stepped forward. "I think it's about time we get moving. Your loved ones wouldn't want you to die in this city. You can grieve when we're home free."

They nodded, and started moving, gathering what little belongings they had. I noticed Hiroko pick up something. "Uh, what's that?"

She held up a plastic bug box with a single insect inside. I think it was a stinkbug or something like that. "We found this just after that battle at Towa Hills. A bunch of kids were chasing it around, carrying some of those Hit List things." She held up a paper with a photo of the bug.

I took it. "...Kameko?" Whose captive could it be? I did a mental headcount. We have Sayaka, Mondo, Taka, Hifumi, Hiro, Sakura, we know Leon... Oh...

"...You're Toko's friend, huh?" I said, staring at the insect in the box.

"Are you serious?" Byakuya asked. "A stinkbug? At least if I left the cat behind, I'd have to worry about incurring Celeste's wrath, but you expect me to take a stinkbug?"

I sighed. "I guess it's not too important who holds onto it. It doesn't have an owner to return to, after all. I'll do it." I took the bug box and clipped it to my belt, opposite of my baton.

"You're sure?" He asked.

"Yeah, I mean, it's not that much extra weight. And the tiny air holes prevents it from stinking up too bad." I reached into my pocket and retrieved a folded piece of paper. "In return, could you pass this along to Makoto?"

"What is it?" He took the message, and unfolded it.

"Well, you've got Komaru's video message. Treat that like a sort of part two. You remember my instructions about the Remnants?"

"Of course I do, what kind of question is that?"

"Right. Well, this is basically a little reminder, and a word of encouragement. So, y'know, pass it along. Just, uh, ignore that scribbled out area near the bottom."

He refolded the note, and put it in his pocket. "Consider it done. Is that all?"

I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around him. "Just... stay safe, buddy. Alright?"

"...I thought I asked you not to hug me."

"Heh, sorry. Couldn't resist." I stepped back.

He glanced over. "Are you coming, Chiaki?"

She nodded, then turned to me. "Are you sure about this, Al? Staying here, I mean."

"Hey, we each got our own missions." I told her. "You gotta help your classmates. I gotta protect the innocent. This isn't goodbye, though. Think of it more like... I'll see ya later."

"Yeah. See you later." She stepped forward, and we hugged once again.

"Don't worry. If Monaca's plan somehow works, and some of them come to this city, I'll be sure to send them on their way. Y'know, if they don't kill me first. Happy thoughts, I know."

We separated, and she turned to follow the crowd. "Goodbye, Al. It was nice to see a familiar face for once."

"Same here!" I called after her. "And good luck with your friends! I know we can save them all!"

Byakuya slowly managed to lead everyone who wasn't Komaru and I through the tunnel. When Aloysius went, going in last, we resealed the passage to avoid detection from the Monokumas. We both sighed.

"So... what now?" Komaru asked.

"Let's go find some innocents." I said. "This tunnel's going to get a lot more use over the next few days."

As Komaru took the lead, I stared down at Kameko skittering around in its box.

"C'mon, little guy. Let's go save some lives. Your master's sacrifice won't be in vain. I promise."

* * *

Nagito Komaeda limped through Towa City, leaning hard on a makeshift cane, the knee that Albert had busted wrapped in a brace. The pain was immense, but he had endured much worse in the name of hope. As he made his way through the city, the morning sun rising high into the air, he felt slight stirring from the passenger on his back.

"Oh, you're awake? You were lucky. You would surely have perished if I wasn't there to save you." He told her.

"...Why...?" Monaca Towa asked weakly.

"I changed my mind... and decided to stay in this town a while longer." He explained, stopping a moment to adjust her position. "And while I'm here... I figured I should see this through to the very end."

"That's not what I meant..."

"...Oh. You mean why I saved you? Because... I'm the same as you. I'm disappointed with endings that waver between despair and hope. I wish... a real war had started! If it did... I know a brilliant hope would've been born. That is why I allowed myself to be captured, after all."

"So you did it... on purpose?"

"But, you aren't finished yet, right? Nothing... has really changed since you began. So... I need you to continue working hard. So that a splendid hope may be born. You have tasted the bitter despair of having your meticulous plan fall apart around you. So I know you can do it."

"...Really... which side are you on?"

He chuckled. "Does it even matter?... Anyway, why don't _you _be The Successor for now? If that is your intention, I will lend you a hand. If... my schedule allows it, of course. There is somewhere I need to be later."

"What do you mean?"

He continued without answering. "I shall raise you to be her copy. One even more realistic than the real one! Someone like me... who both hates and loves her more than anyone else...! I should be able to make you more like her than even she herself was."

She gave up trying to understand him. Monaca Towa closed her eyes, attempting to return to her slumber. "...Gross..."

Not too far away from them, another group were making there way through the city.

A man whose only identity being the name he was given at creation was pushing a wheelbarrow along the desolate highway. His cargo were a pair of robot heads. One was the head of Kurokuma, alongside the head of his brother, Shirokuma.

The black bear laughed. "Are they still at it with that Successor or whatever?"

"You're talking too loud." The white bear scolded. "They'll hear you..."

"They can hear all they fuckin' want, a buncha chumps teamin' up together makes 'em suck even more!"

"Well, when you think about it... The plan was flawed from the beginning. Trying to create a successor while the original still exists?"

"I know this was kinda my idea, but kids sure are stupid idiots."

"Not just the kids. The adults are idiots, too. Just by causing a _little _unrest, just pushing them a teeny bit, I have them spinning around in the palms of my hands."

"Despite how ya look, you sure are wicked inside. Even if the outside's white, the inside's pitch black! Are you a rice ball or sumthin'?"

"I may be wicked, but you are too. After all, we are..."

"No, not we... Maybe, I? Or maybe... it's me!" The voice coming from the speakers reverted to its default setting, replicating the despair-inducing voice of Junko Enoshima. The black bear laughed. "Well, they're pretty much the same."

The while bear also switched to that voice. "White despair... black hope..."

"In the end, neither won..."

"But, I guess that works, too."

"I mean I didn't really give a damn about this town from the beginning."

"The fact that those guys will take an interest in this place will yield a muuuch more fruitful harvest. Hey, don't ya think so?" The white bear addressed the man pushing the wheelbarrow. "Personally, I think they did a _pretty _good job for a group of kids."

"Hey hey, don't ya think so?"

"Thanks to them, the preparations are nearly complete!"

"Laying the foundations for the final match! It's so despairingly perfect!"

"Hey hey hey, don't ya-!" The monologue the AI was going through was interrupted when the man, with the precision of someone who had trained their hands as weapons for years, struck through the top of both of the bears' heads.

"Oooh..."

"You're so forceful..."

"What what...?"

"Am I being too noisey for ya...?"

"I see... I didn't think you still felt such emotions..."

"Or perhaps... you're forcing yourself to feel something in a situation like this..."

"Well, not that it matters..."

"Anyways, I leave the rest to you..."

"Though I'm sure the next time I see you, you'll be someone else entirely..."

At that moment, the man, with the knowledge of a master roboticist, found what his fingers were digging around for. The motherboards. He pulled them out roughly, still attached by the wires.

"I hope you can at least have a little fun..."

"I hope the future is going to be one... You can't predict..."

With just the right amount of force, he squeezed his hands and crushed the computer parts he was holding, silencing the AI. He turned to the sunrise once more, seemingly admiring its beauty, before he turned and started walking away, the broken motherboards still in his grasp.

* * *

Elsewhere, a Future Foundation laptop was finally able to find a signal. With a short moment of loading, the screen displayed the face of one Makoto Naegi. "... I was waiting to hear from you. I'm so relieved... I'm glad you're safe, Byakuya."

"...Well, safe enough I suppose." Byakuya Togami responded.

"Are you outside Towa City? You must be if this connection is secure, right?"

The heir took a moment to scan the horizon, where Towa City was clearly visible. "Yeah. I used the secret passageway under the shrine. The Captives are safe, thanks to the relative of one Yasuhiro Hagakure. I'll introduce you to her later. She's much more talented and useful than he was."

"What's your position? I'll send rescue right away."

"Before you do... There's something you need to know."

Makoto's smile faded. "...Huh?"

"Komaru Naegi and Albert Wright... are not with me."

"Not with you? Why?"

"I'll let her explain."

"Her...?"

"She asked that I send you this message. It might be garbled a bit, but it'll do." Byakuya held up his smartphone, and pressed the play button. A video message started playing.

"Um... Can you see me, Makoto?" Komaru Naegi asked. "You're surprised that I'm not leaving, right? Sorry for making you worry... There's... a lot I want to say... But first, let me explain why I'm not there." She spent the next little while explaining the abridged version of the events that unfolded at Towa Hills, and how she came upon her decision after Monaca threatened the world with war. "So the reason I've decided to stay isn't because someone forced me to... It's a choice I made myself. But I know that I can't just expect thing to change right away, just because I'm staying... I know that I can't become real hope, like you... So... I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait for the day you guys defeat the Remnants of Despair and come home safe. Ah, but... you don't have to rush or anything, okay? I'll wait until the day you come to pick me up. I have the gun Mister Byakuya gave me... and I have my reliable friend, Al. And... About Mom and Dad... I didn't find anything. I went to the torture room later, but it was empty. The film that girl forced me to watch must have been recorded earlier or fake... That means there's a chance they're alive and well somewhere, right? Maybe even somewhere in this city. That's what I choose to believe... Okay, sorry, this video is getting pretty long... I guess I should wrap it up. The next time you see me... I might be so grown up you don't even recognize me. Just like how surprised I was when I saw you... See ya later, Makoto." With that, the video faded to black.

"So that's the situation." Byakuya remarked. "I thought all your sister was good for was cowering in fear... But there you have it."

"Seriously... Well... she's surprised me before..."

"Hey Makoto... You know what we have to do, right? We have to stop this idiotic "war" and return here to retrieve them. We wouldn't want to betray their expectations."

"...Yeah, you're right. I've made up my mind, Byakuya. If a situation like this ever happens again... No matter how dangerous the trap... I'm jumping right in. So I can end it properly. With my own two hands."

"...Hearing you say that reminds me of what you said back at the academy."

"Huh?"

A rare, genuine smile found itself on Byakuya's face. "Hope keeps going, huh... Fine. I'll partner with you. For just a little while. At least... until I've repaid the debt I owe to Al and your sister."

"...Yeah."

"Speaking of, Albert also had a message. He decided not to make a video out of it, since it isn't very long. I'll read it to you." He slipped the paper out of his pocket, unfolded it, and began to read. "Makoto. You've probably noticed that I'm not there with you. I've decided my babysitting job isn't quite over yet. You should be proud of your sister, though, especially for her decision to stay. There are still plenty of innocents that need to be evacuated, and plenty who have lost their minds and are going to need help from someone. So until the city is safe enough to bring in Miaya or some other therapist, I'm the best they got. I trust you remember what I've told you, about the Remnants of Despair and the Neo World Program. Well... as long as you keep in mind everything I told you, you don't really need me there to do it. So... I'll stay where I'm needed most. Besides, true friendships are ones that aren't diluted by time. And Towa's not as bad as before, the enemy forces are weakening, so in the event of an emergency, you could find a way to contact me somehow. The final battle is approaching, Makoto. I've got a feeling. It's scary, but we can win it. That's not just some hope or anything, it's something I know for a fact. Until next time, your friend, Future Foundation 14th Division, Albert Wright."

The two men exchanged serious glances in response to the end of the message. In an attempt to restore the mood, Byakuya pointed out, "He told me to ignore it, but there's a small, scrawled out message on the bottom. _P.S. Tell Chihiro that-_. That's all. It isn't finished."

Makoto smiled. "Well, I'll be sure to let Chihiro know Albert had _something_ to tell him."

"Perhaps it has something to do with that program he's developing." The heir suggested, half-serious. "But he decided it was too confidential to put on paper."

Despite themselves, the two shared a light laugh. Makoto nodded. "But Al's right. We can win this as long as we work together, and persevere."

"If Al can be so confident in a happy ending, despite never seeing it for himself, then I suppose the rest of us can be, too." Byakuya agreed.

"Yeah. Let's believe in the hope that Al left us with, at least until we can see him again."

* * *

Komaru stood outside a desolate hotel, doing her standard morning stretches as the rising sun lit up the street.

"...Alright then." She said, pumped and ready for anything. She turned to the hotel she came from. "...Heyyy, you aren't ready yet!?"

Of course, that was at the moment I just stepped out the door, a deep yawn threatening to break my jaw, with the taste of expired coffee still in my throat. I covered my ears as I approached her. "Please... don't yell so early in the morning..."

"You're not really a morning person, are you?" She asked. "Are you secretly staying up late without me!?"

"My nightly schedule is my own business. But I did stay up later tearing up the houseplants for Kameko." I gestured to the bug box on my hip, which was now full of picked leaves and stems. "Also, this place has paper-thin walls. I could hear you snoring all night."

"I'm so not snoring! And if you want to get a good night's sleep, why don't you take a room that isn't right next to mine?"

"Well, y'know, I've got to look out for you. I mean, what if something happened in the middle of the night?"

"You mean like, a break-in?"

I nodded, a bit too quickly. "Yeah, exactly like that."

"Well, I guess it's better safe than sorry. But it sounds to me like you're scared of something else."

"What are you talking about? I'm not afraid of anything like..."

"Are you... Oh my god, you are! You're afraid of me getting possessed again, aren't you?"

I groaned. "It's scary just how good your family is at this stuff..."

"Ah, so you're into occult stuff now!"

"No, I just had a nightmare about some ghosts of my past, that's all. And something tells me I'm gonna have a few more in the future..."

"Well, I guess that's just one more thing you're afraid of now."

"Yeah, thanks for that. I'll see you in therapy." I turned and started walking away. "Let's get a move on. I don't trust any of the people to stay quiet for much longer, so there's no time to waste."

"What? But you're the one who woke up late!"

I ignored her yelling as she quickly caught up with me. I looked around the streets of the city. I felt a sort of... serenity. There weren't many Monokumas, there were no people or bodies around. The only sound throughout the city was the wind. And it all looked so much better in the sunlight, with the clouds of pollution cleared. So the three of us continued through the city, unafraid.

It's impossible to know what the future holds, and it can be uncertain and scary to face it. But that's okay. Because you don't have to face it alone. Nobody is truly alone. Even if you think that you're utterly solitary, there exist people who care about you, people whose lives would be changed without you. By having people we can talk to, our pain is spread out and easier to bear. By having people who can stand beside you... you can overcome tasks that neither of you would be able to on your own. True unity is everyone working together to achieve each of their separate goals. Whether or not the people who support you are with you or not is irrelevant. They could be right beside you, or outside the building your in, or in another city, or they could even be dead, but as long as their memory continues to push you to do your best, then they will always be beside you in spirit. So don't give up. Your situation could get worse... but it can always get better, too.

There's always another way... There is always another hope.

**The End**

* * *

**And yes, Kameko is supposed to represent Albert still carrying Toko's memory with him.**

**Well. That's that. I'll be the first to admit that this story isn't as high-quality as the first one was. There were probably less grammatical errors, and my vocabulary has improved, but in terms of story and characters... Well, everything is basically the same as it was in the game. That's not a bad thing, it just goes to show that Despair Girls wasn't as story-based as the other games, and therefore Albert's actions affected the plot less here than it did during a Killing Game in a closed space. Really, the only reason I'd recommend people to check this out before reading the future stories is because of the reveal of Chiaki being alive. That was really the only bomb I dropped during this whole thing.**

**DR2 is going to be much different. I plan to fix all of the problems that my first story had. Namely, my inexperience with writing mystery. In Another Hope, the solution to mysteries tended to come out of nowhere, and just swerved the whole trial in a different direction. There was also at least one instance of me withholding evidence from the audience. Why I decided that was a good idea, I have no fucking clue. But in DR2, I want to fix that. All of the evidence will be viewed beforehand, even if it's exactly the same as it was in the game, and the process of discovery will play out naturally between all parties involved. Also... well, in Another Hope, the two survivor characters I killed off were Toko and Hiro, two characters I didn't like as much as some others. Fuck that. If I'm driving this Despair Train, I better be feeling some of that bitter despair myself. While I only have a couple cases roughly outlined in my head, I guarantee that at least one of the deaths will be someone loved by fans. (Not that it matters, since they all survive anyway.)**

**However, that's gonna take a while. Before writing this story, I took about a month off, and I think I'll put in a similarly-long break between these two. I'm not gonna try and take a break from Danganronpa, though. I've accepted at this point that I've got permanent residence in this fanbase, no matter how much time passes before DR4 comes out. (Whenever that is.) Who knows, maybe I'll set up some polls for fun or something, that's one feature on this site that I have yet to dabble in. Well, aside from forums, but I'm not sure if my fanbase is large enough or active enough to warrant its own goddamn forum. Like, if you guys want to contact me, my PM box is always open. Anyway, if you don't hear from me before the end of September, you can just assume I'm dead. RIP.**

**Either way, I hope every single one of you enjoyed reading this story as much as I did writing it! The saga of Albert Wright is far from over. There's plenty more thrills, chills, and kills for him to endure before he earns his happy ending. Because there will always be another despair... but there will always be another hope, too.**

**Goodbye, for now!**


End file.
